Werewolf in Outer Space
by MegaraMegumi
Summary: Jacob has found his soul mate in Bella, but he soon finds out that fighting for love can be more than just winning her heart. Keeping her alive from bloodthirsty vampires is crucial too.
1. Werewolf

**Disclaimer: I own no rights to Twilight or the characters.**

**Woot! My first *published* fanfic. Thanks to JaspersDarkAngel who has made me Twilight crazy. Although it probably would have happened on its own, she just fueled my growing obsession... as I have fed hers. :) Also, thanks to her for proof reading. Hope you like the introduction! More to come later! Rated M for language.. and future lemons! The title is also temporary... I've been trying to think of a better one, but the right one hasn't come to me yet...  
**

**Team Jacob FTW!!!!  
**

**~MegaraMegumi~  
**

Chapter 1

Werewolf

When I was young, my father told me the story of how the people on my home world of Iribo came to live here. It was the same story his father told him, and my grandfather's father told him. My great-grandfather was sixteen when his family settled here. You see, Earth had used all of its resources, and a wide scale evacuation had been issued. According to the story my father told me, everyone knew that Earth's inhabitants would have to leave at some point, so many years before, the governments worked together (well, to the best of their abilities) and perfected the process of terraforming. The governments claimed that they had just started working on this project about 6 years before the evacuation, but most people knew that they had to have been planning it longer than that. Terraforming enough worlds for almost 7 billion people would have taken longer than the time they 'claimed' to have been working on them. Also, the reason why they had formed more than just one world was a little suspicious, but the only logic back then was to decrease the population per planet, allowing resources to last longer. So they terraformed several planets, although no one knows for sure exactly how many. Though the process of actually terraforming a planet is truly complicated and takes a long time to perform, the idea is simple. First, the toxic atmospheres have to be able to support life, so oxygen must be created. There are ways to do this, from using algae to create the oxygen or machines that convert the atmosphere. Of course, some planets failed to terraform correctly, leaving them dead and useless, and unable to support life in any form. As the planets were being terraformed, other steps were being taken to prepare.

The government issued a packet, which families were supposed to fill out and turn in, in order to get their places on certain worlds, and of course their places on transportation units to their new homes. The packets contained all information they needed to prepare for departure. After the packets were turned in, families were then placed on planets of the government's choosing. This is how my family ended up on Iribo. The government did their best to create worlds as best as they could, creating simple housing out of eco-friendly materials, harnessing the solar energy from the systems for power, and leaving each planet with enough supplies to start their own life. The idea was that the government would stay in the lives of everyone, bringing them goods every six months or so, but with 7 billion people spread across different planets, it did not quite work out the way they planned. The government eventually quit making trips to the planets, and the inhabitants were left to fend for themselves. The government did a good job of basically preparing the new inhabitants of Iribo for life on their own. Each town has a great water source that allows running water and flushing bathrooms and such. While it is not as advanced as Earth, (or at least from what I have been told), it is something we are accustomed to now. I imagine that Iribo may have been one of the luckier planets. According to my father, he believes the reason why the government stopped coming was due to the fact that other planets flourished more than ours, and in traditional human greed, gave up on the other planets, leaving them to fend for themselves or perish.

My great-grandfather's story states that his family left Earth in cryogenic sleep, and when they woke up, they were at their new home. The journey took about 2 years, but when they reached Iribo, my great-grandfather and his family could not have been happier. The government had set up enough of the basic necessities for everyone to survive. The actions of the government probably saved the human race from extinction. Now, more than ever, we rely on each other for everything.

As with any human society, we progressed more than regressed. Once the government stopped making trips to bring certain items, the people of Iribo had to start working more on their own. There were hard times, but eventually everything started to work out. People who owned shops that were originally stocked by the government, were soon restocked by the goods of the people. For a long time, bartering was a major tradition, but once the economy began to flourish, a money system evolved. However, even now, we are not solely a monetary society. Some goods and services can still be bought with barter. It actually works out quite well.

Just because you change worlds, does not mean culture changes, including legends. My people carried their legends with them. Stories of how my ancient ancestors, were descended from wolves in order to protect themselves from their mortal enemies, pale, immortal creatures with an insatiable thirst for human blood. They are also called vampires, or as we so fondly refer to them: "filthy bloodsuckers." So it came as a surprise to me the first time I shifted into wolf form. It was probably one of the scariest experiences of my life. One night my limbs shifted, cracked, and bent, morphing me into massive beast. All I remember was blinding pain, caused from the breaking and reforming of my bones. I did not last long before I blacked out. In all honesty, I was pretty sure that I was dying. But low and behold the next morning I woke up, naked in the village square. I could not be lucky enough to wake up while it was still dark, ha, no. Instead I did not wake up until well into the morning, where everyone I knew was headed to the market to do some shopping. Most of them were laughing at me, thinking perhaps I had consumed a little too much of a drink we like to call "The Aziz Shaker" the night before, but others were scared. So was I. Besides the fact that it was probably the most embarrassing and horrifying experience of my life, I had no real clue as to what had truly happened that night.

It happened a few more times. I would randomly wake up naked somewhere, completely unaware of _how _I got there. But about two months after the blackouts and random naked awakenings, I shifted, this time completely aware of what was happening. The change became less painful, I suppose since my bones had already shifted several times. I can only assume that the blacking out was a defense mechanism, so that my body would not go into shock. As I was aware of my new "ability," I became concerned. What had brought this on? And why me? Questions plagued me, but that night, after successfully shifting without blacking out, I finally felt what it feels like to be free. I ran wild through the forest, at speeds I did not know could be reached. Before my first shift, however, I had gone through quite a growth spurt. I had been around 5'11, but had grown in the few months before my transformation, finally slowing at almost 7'0. I grew stronger and faster before my shift as well. It did not occur to me at the time that this was because my body was preparing for a change like shifting. In fact, I just considered my change a blessing.

After I realized what had happened to me I knew that I had something that no one else could compare to. I still did not know why, or how, but I felt that I had been chosen for something greater. My next test was to properly attune my shifting skills. However, this proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated. A few times, I nearly shifted in public, generally brought on when a couple of things occurred. For one, if I became angry for any reason, I could feel the beast well up inside me, threatening to rip out and expose me. Secondly, I realized the same experience when sexually aroused. It is not something to be laughed out. I'm eighteen, and I like pretty girls. However, within a few months I was able to shift willingly, at any time I pleased, and the emotions that threatened to set me off, I learned to control. I had made it out lucky, with no suspicion from others of what I had become. The only people who knew were my parents, and their response was simple. My change was brought about by the return of the bloodsuckers. Somewhere, on this planet where I had grown up, they existed. My father believed they were probably much closer than he wanted to believe. I was also told that I might not be the only one, but I should keep my identity concealed. This proved to be a little difficult, because not long after I changed, so did my two best friends, Quil and Embry. I knew this to be true, only because I found my werewolf mind no longer empty when I shifted. Instead, I heard their voices, and they heard mine. I was not alone, which had its advantages as well as its disadvantages. I was nominated pack leader, only because I had made the shift first, but Quil and Embry also agreed that I was best for the position. Basically that meant they did not want to take on the responsibilities. I was not really excited about leading a pack, and would much rather run with just myself. However, if our shifting means the return of the vampires, then I guess I need as many of my kind on my side as possible.

And now, a little more about myself. My name is Jacob Black. I was born in Aziz, on the planet of Iribo to Billy and Sara Black. I am an only child. As stated before I am nearly seven feet in height. I have russet colored skin, which happens to be the color of my fur when I shift (along with some black fur, matching my hair). My eyes are a dark chocolate set behind raven lashes. My hair is short, kind of spiky, and a really dark, pitch black. Call me cocky, but I have a nice smile, enticing even, and an alluring voice, smooth and sexy. I grew up in the same town I was born. Schooling is not as important as it was when people lived on Earth so I only spent a few years learning in school. I spent the rest of the time learning to blacksmith, like my father. He creates tools for local farmers, and helps create items for building as well. He also dabbles some in carpentry, and I have used that to my advantage as well. We are a community, from Aziz to Raita (also in Iribo). School is becoming more popular nowadays, and there was a university in Bartonsville, about 3 days away from Aziz. A few people from my town have gone to school there, but this is not my priority. At least not anymore. Iribo is about half the size of Earth, and also densely populated. Our main form of transportation by land is by horse and carriage, like the old days, according to the history I have learned about Earth. Traveling by water, we use a boat. It is simple, but efficient.

My friends and family would describe me as a very caring and loving person. I do not disagree. I wholeheartedly believe in love. I want to find a mate, a companion, to spend my life with. I want to build a home, and live out my days with some woman who will have me, and raise a family too. I only hope I can find her. I used to think I was in love and that I had found her. Her name was Lylie and she was everything to me. She was my first kiss, and well, my first _everything._ However times changed and so did we, growing apart. I would have fought to stay with her, but it was not my decision. She ended up leaving Aziz to go to Brasedon to pursue her dream to be an actress. Yes, entertainment is still alive, even now. She had the talent, and I just hope she found what she was looking for. As for me, I do not intend to leave Aziz for good. At least not for right now. I love where I grew up, and it is what made me who I am.

Finally, perhaps the greatest thing that has happened since I honed my ability to shift at any given notice is my ability to travel greater distances in less time. I love where I am from, but I also like to see other parts of the world I live in. I have been to Brasedon, which is famous for its entertainment industry. There is another town, near the aquamarine waters of Sparrow Grove. It is probably my favorite place. For some reason I am drawn to visit there as often as possible, but I am really not sure why. It could just be that it is my favorite place. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is great. While there are many towns near the water, Sparrow Grove is not a fishing port, but more of a vacation spot I guess. Sure, they do some fishing, obviously, but that is not its primary function. History shows that people thrive off of things like entertainment. As a species, we love to be entertained. Sparrow Grove is where I go to be entertained, and to relax. So whether that is what drives me there, or something completely different, I will eventually figure it out.

This weekend is a festival in Sparrow Grove and I plan on attending. There will be food, entertainment, and tons of tourists. It's a yearly celebration, and it signifies the changing of seasons from winter to spring.


	2. Sparrow Grove

**Disclaimer: I own no rights to Twilight or the characters. Just borrowing them for my twisted amusement.**

**First thing: This chapter contains some lemony-goodness. :) Thanks to JaspersDarkAngel again for proof reading for me! Um.. I guess that's really it!! Enjoy!!!**

**~MegaraMegumi  
**

Chapter 2

Sparrow Grove

I left Aziz sometime during the middle of the night after I had ensured my parents would be okay without me for a few days. Traveling at night was much safer for me than during the day, since my preferred method of travel from town to town was in wolf form. It was faster. Generally, from Aziz to Sparrow Grove was about two days by horse and carriage, but I could make it in a matter of a few hours. I really had no intention of being discovered then staked to death. My parents might not see me as a threat but I do not feel everyone else would agree. Before shifting, I stopped about 15 minutes walking distance at my secret hide-out. Well, okay, it is not a hide-out per say, but it is my own personal place. A cave I found behind a waterfall. Quil and Embry knew about it of course, everything in my head is theirs when we are all shifted. I use this place as my get away. I stay here some nights when I do not feel like staying home. I keep an extra set of clothes, a place to sleep, and I have a fire pit. I have exceptional night vision, so I don't even need light when I enter my safe haven.

Tonight I stopped by my place to change before heading to Sparrow Grove. If I shift without getting out of my clothing, then it gets destroyed. So I have a small bag that I put my clothing in, and then tie to my leg to take it with me. So as usual, I stripped down, strapped the bag to my leg, and shifted. Immediately, I discovered my mind was not empty.

"Off to Sparrow Grove again Jacob?" Embry inquired.

I chuckled, "Yeah man, they're having a festival this weekend. And you know, I just can't seem to stay away from there."

Quil chimed in, "Maybe this time you'll find out why."

"I hope so. Keep good watch of the town while I'm gone."

"Always. When will you return?" Embry asked.

"A day or two. I'll be in touch." I had picked up speed, the miles passing by in minutes. It would take me about an two and a half hours to get there. However, time was irrelevant when I was running with the wind. It felt nice to have the air brushing through my shaggy russet fur, always calming. All around me I could hear the sounds of the forest. Night creatures hunting for their dinner. I can hunt and eat wild game in the forest while in wolf form without cooking it, unlike in human form.

While I ran, my mind began to wander, thinking about if this trip to Sparrow Grove would prove more fruitful than the last few times. I knew there had to be a reason I was drawn there. My father believed it more than likely had to do with the vampires, but I had no negative feelings about it. Well, I hadn't yet. No, this was different. There was something there, something that was calling to me, and I had to find it. As for knowing what it was, I had no clue.

Halfway through my journey, I stopped to eat. Like I mentioned before I can hunt like a wolf, however I am much more lethal than any wolf. I can take down creatures twice my size if I want. My favorite prey is Iribo cheetah. It is similar to the Earth cheetah, except they are faster, stronger, and larger. However, Iribo cheetahs are common north of Aziz, and I was traveling south. Instead, I settled on hunting down a few rabbits, as a snack to keep me going. The sun would be up in about 4 hours, and I still had about an hour to travel until I reached Sparrow Grove. After I had my snack, I continued onward. This time, instead of thinking about why I was drawn there, I thought about what the weekend held for me, entertainment wise. The festival at Sparrow Grove, initiated the acknowledgment of the changing of seasons from winter to spring. There would be food, games, plays, music, dancing, and plenty of tourists to meet and converse with. I enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends. It was always nice to see what different types of cultures had made it to or had been created since life had been established on Iribo.

I made it to Sparrow Grove with about 3 hours before daybreak. I shifted back into human form about half a mile out of town and dressed. Then I walked into town, going straight to the Sparrow Grove Inn and Tavern. This place had been here ever since the planet was settled. My great-great-grandfather had come here to visit as well. Compared to all the newer establishments, this place was a piece of shit. However, the nostalgia of it, kept it running, even now.

It was still owned by the original family who had taken over it after the government stopped coming. I had become a regular here over the last several months, to the point that the owners and employees knew me.

I sauntered in, looking at the familiar atmosphere. The downstairs was the tavern. Upon entering the door, a staircase to the left led upstairs to the rooms. The downstairs was modestly lit, which probably meant a lot of the solar storage had been used during the night hours. During the day they would recharge. The tavern had one long bar to the right of the staircase. There was an entrance to behind the bar to the far left. There were a couple of barrels, undoubtedly holding ale, or some other drink. There were about 6 wooden tables, with 3 to 4 chairs at each table. There were also about 8 stools sitting at the bar. The walls were a cream color, but looked dirtier with the lack of lighting in the place. There were a few paintings hanging here and there, mostly of countryside depictions. The place was empty, except for my usual greeter, the owner's son, and my best non-wolf friend.

Jasper never has to see me to know I have arrived. Being my height and stature, apparently I have a "sound to the way I walk", or so he says. I had not even reached his stool before he spoke, "Come for the Winter to Spring festival, have you?" However, it sounded much different than that. Jasper's ancestors came from the deep south United States, and while his parents did not have the southern drawl, Jasper did. How that happened, I'll never know. However, it only seemed to add to the intriguing effect he had on women.

I playfully punched him in the arm, "Yeah bro. You didn't think I'd let you chase tail without your best wingman did I?"

Jasper and I had become good friends since I had started coming to Sparrow Grove. He was the utter and complete opposite of me. His hair was blond, short, and had a slight curl to it. He was much lighter complected than me, with ridiculous sapphire eyes that sparkled. The only similarity between us was being in shape. Jasper was about 6'2, and for his size, he was built, muscular and toned. Women tend to woo in both of our presences.

Okay, I'm starting to sound a little fruity. In all seriousness, it is what he looks like. And when we're hanging out, women swarm us like flies. Jasper once told me how, when by himself, women will not approach him, but watch him from a distance, laugh, giggle, and gossip. Then he told me that when we hang out together, they flock around us. It isn't that they all flock to me either, they flock to both of us. It baffles me that they cannot approach us separately, but only when we are together. I'll never understand women.

Jasper closed the book he was reading and turned to me, "So, since you're in town for the weekend, I'm guessing you'll need a room?" He laughed, then continued, "The festival is a blast man. We'll have to go down to the docks for some partying. Oh! You'll get to meet my sister as well. She's coming in for the festival."

Jasper loved his sister, Alice. He was constantly talking about her. They were two years apart, Jasper being twenty-one and Alice being nineteen. About a year ago, before I had met Jasper, Alice had moved to Bartonville to pursue a career as a seamstress. According to Jasper, she was very talented.

I nodded his way, "Good. I look forward to meeting her finally."

Bartonville was about a days journey to Sparrow Grove. I should have mentioned before, we _do_ have the ability to create motor vehicles like Earth had, but so far there is no real need. Iribo consists of two continents, Greenberg and Habrigdon. Greenberg is where Aziz, Sparrow Grove, Bartonville, and a few other towns existed. However, the continents are fairly small. The furthest distance between the furthest towns is five days. It is also 5 days by boat to the other continent. I have never been to the continent of Habrigdon, but one day I hope to go.

Jasper stood from his barstool and moved around behind the bar. He poured himself a glass of Sparrow Grove's finest ale and motioned towards me. I nodded. Its funny sometimes how he reads mind, even though he really isn't, obviously. I have never told Jasper about my ability. I'm sure he could handle it, but I really just feel like now is not the time to tell him. He slide the glass in front of me, and a took a swig. Bitter, but tasty. Definitely an acquired taste.

"So what time will Alice be here?" I wanted to seem genuinely interested, but at the same time, not too overeager. If Alice was the female version of Jasper, at least as far as the good looks went, there might be a problem. I would never make a move on Alice, but I could not guarantee that she would not make a move on me.

"She should be here around midday. When she sent me the letter last week, she mentioned possibly bringing a friend," Jasper wiggled his eyebrows at me, "One of us could get lucky."

I chuckled, "Well, with each as the other one's wingman, I don't think we'll have a problem attracting any women this weekend. Did she say anything about this friend of hers?"

Jasper shook his head, "Nah, just that her name is Bella."

The moment he said that name, it stirred the beast inside me, and for a moment the threat of shifting without my control almost happened. I pushed it down, letting out a nervous chuckle.

_That hasn't happened in a long time._ I spoke quietly, "Bella..." then a little louder, "...means beautiful in ancient Earth Italian right?"

"Yeah," Jasper chortled, "It'd be a shame if she turned out to be a dog, eh?" He gave me a punch in the shoulder from across the bar.

Although referring to anyone as 'dog' kind of irritated me, I could not hold it against Jasper, or anyone who did not know about my transformations. I grinned, taking another gulp of my ale, "Well, if not for your dashing good looks, how would you get women? With that ancient southern accent of yours?"

"Shit, women dig the accent."

"I suppose they do, my friend." I downed the last of my ale and slid the glass his way, "Mind if I get my key? Gonna catch a few winks before the festivities begin."

Jasper turned his back to me, reaching for a key in a box that hung on the wall. He handed it to me, "Same as always. 204."

"Thanks Jazz." I left the bar area and went up the staircase. As I ascended the two flights to my room, I began to doubt whether I had truly mastered my ability to control my shifting power. I knew that I would have to really be on guard this weekend if I wanted to avoid exposing myself.

I slide the key into the lock of my room, opening the door to yet another familiar place. When I stayed at the Inn, which had become more customary as Jasper and I got closer, I got this room. I did not want Jasper to be suspicious as to why I would stay a whole weekend, and not at the Inn. Sure I could stay at another Inn, but it did not seem right. Well, I mean staying at another Inn, in his mind. In truth I would be sleeping out in the woods. However, I avoided suspicion from anyone if I just stayed at the Inn. Room 204 was the only one I had ever stayed in. It was simply furnished. There was a bed, dresser, a window, and a bathroom with a shower. The walls were the same creamy color as downstairs, and the linens on the bed were a faded blue. That was really about it. Nothing special, but homey enough.

I slipped out of all my clothes, folded them neatly and set them on the dresser, then slid my naked body under the sheets. I guess I had underestimated my fatigue, because I fell asleep within seconds.

_I rarely dream when I sleep, but if I do, its always very vivid, and lately my dreams have held truths, premonitions if you must. Sometimes they play out exactly as I see them in my dreams, but since choices determine outcomes, what I dream can be changed. _

_In my dream I could see myself, as if I was a viewer from the outside. I was in my cave, but I wasn't alone. A girl was there with me. She was tied up, and battered and bruised. Her clothes were tattered and ripped. I could not clearly see her face, so I was unable to tell if I actually knew her. But I wondered to myself if I had hurt her. Why was she there? The thought frightened me. She whimpered, then spoke pleadingly, "Jacob! Please don't hurt me Jacob!"_

I shot straight up into a sitting position. My body was twisting, churning. It was shifting without my command. I fought with myself for a few minutes, forcing myself to calm down, tame the beast within. I was sweating and tingling. Most of all, I was scared. Through the window I could see the sun peeking through the curtains. I stood up and walked over, peeking out. From the window I could see the pier, and the people setting up for the daily festivities. Judging from the height of the sun in the sky, it was midmorning. I was no longer tired, which was probably better. Apparently sleep was not safe from the threat of uncontrollably shifting.

I decided to take a shower, making my way into the bathroom. I grabbed the small pouch of soap and washcloth and brought it into the shower with me. Already in the shower was shampoo and conditioner as well. I washed and conditioned my hair, then lathered the washcloth to bathe. I was finally relaxing, feeling less uneasy about the dream. It was then I looked down to realize that the stress from my dream had not affected my usual morning arousal. If I had learned anything about controlling my ability to shift, it was to take care of this before going out into public. It helped calm my nerves when I was just learning to shift, and kept me from accidentally shifting if I saw a pretty girl.

I chuckled softly as I wrapped one hand around my hardened shaft. Then I ran my other soapy palm down the length of it, curved it around the tip, then wrapped that hand around it too. My growth spurt over the last year sure did not leave me un-proportioned, that was for sure. In fact, the last girl I was with, almost fainted when she saw it.

I laughed a moment, thinking about her as I began to stroke myself slowly. _ Her name was Celia. She had been a petite, feisty little thing with the curliest fiery red hair and large emerald eyes framed behind dark lashes. She was curvy, damn curvy, and oh so sexy. She had no intention of dating me, she had only been in Aziz for the weekend, visiting her uncle. She came by my dad's shop, asking about acquiring a custom made dagger for her father, who liked to collect weapons. I was the only one there at the time, so while we waited for my dad to return we chatted, and hit it off instantly. Once my dad got back, he took over, fulfilling the order she needed. Before she left, however, she called me over and gave me a note that said: __**Meet me on the north side of town after dark~C**__._

_I spent the rest of the day thinking about her as I worked, anticipating when I would see her that night. After my father let me off for the day, I went home and freshened up. I decided to dress accordingly, wearing a nicer shirt, just nice enough to where I looked good, but if it got dirty I wouldn't mind. It was cooler out so I also threw on a light jacket. As soon as the sun went down I headed to the north side of town. She was waiting for me, just as she had said. I remember that she looked amazing, wearing a tiny green linen dress, shorter than it should have been. It accentuated her curves and made her hair look like a mass of flames, framing her face and shoulders in massive curls. It also made her eyes brighter than before, except the emotion in her eyes was different than what I had seen earlier. She looked ready to pounce._

Remembering the look in her eyes, I moaned as I picked up speed in stroking myself, thinking about Celia. It had been a long time since I had thought about her, and I was glad I had. This was going to get me off fast.

_I had smiled at her, a mischievous smile, and spoke, "You look amazing."_

_She chuckled softly, well it was sort of a cross between an aroused growl and chuckle, "You don't look so bad yourself."_

_She walked over to me, with such grace and poise. She was very centered, and very aware of what she was doing. As she neared me, a breeze caught through the trees, and blew her scent my way. If her appearance hadn't been enough, the scent of her arousal was. I was instantly aroused, and already fighting my primal instincts to just throw her down in the dirt and ravage her._

_She stopped in front of me, her eyes drawing slowly up my body to meet mine. She smiled __softly, then reached up, grabbed the collar of my jacket, and pulled me down into a kiss. I can't say I was completely surprised because I saw the raw lust in her eyes as I had first laid my eyes on her. However, the intensity had thrown me a little off guard. Her lips met mine with a hunger I hadn't expected. I returned the intensity, even though the strain of leaning down so far was kind of annoying. It was a shorter kiss than I had anticipated, luckily. She stopped, and released my collar, turned with a giggle, and took off running through the trees._

_I wondered how she was able to see, but then realized I saw the beam of a solar flashlight dancing as she ran. I smirked to myself. She wanted to make this a game? If she only knew the type of predator I was. I immediately began to pursue her, giving her a chance to run ahead. I would have no problem catching her once I tried. I jogged silently behind her, but I could hear her ahead, giggling and running. Then she stopped, I continued in pursuit, and broke through the tree line into a small clearing. I could see a cave up ahead, not my cave of course. There were lots of caves surrounding Aziz. This one had large boulders surrounding the entrance. I could see that she had stopped there, and was leaning against a boulder. _

_I approached her casually, she was breathing heavily, and small beads of sweat had formed, dripping down her cleavage. I licked my lips and smiled._

I could feel myself getting close. I would not even finish reliving the entire memory in my mind before losing it, so I skipped to the part where I gave her what she wanted.

_"Fuck me," she pleaded. I had to admit, she was a spitfire. I couldn't even fathom the way she had held me in her mouth, sucking and stroking me until I almost lost it. She stopped right before, stood up, slid her dress over her head, and turned around. She bent over, leaning against the rock for support, and turned her head to look me in the eyes. Then she said it, "Fuck me now, Jacob."_

_As I had laughed about before, she almost fainted when she first saw it, a little daunted by the size, but she recovered quickly, and was now asking me to take her. Not only that, but she was the submissive position that made me weak in the knees. I could see the arousal glistening off her thighs as I came near her. I ran my hand up her bare back, then around her stomach grasping her waist. What I really wanted to do, was ram into her, but instead I entered gently. As I slid into her slowly, I let her have time to adjust. Again, she retaliated quickly, bucking her hips against me, causing her to slide completely over me in one hard thrust. _

_I moaned with her, as I set into a rhythm. I was still trying to be somewhat gentle, but she wouldn't have it. She fought with me for more, begging me to "do it harder, do it faster." I did, cautiously. I was doing it rougher than most other girls could've handled it, but she seemed to have no problem. Her moans echoed into the cave until I felt her walls start to clench. It was soft at first, but started to gain intensity._

_"Jacob, come with me," she begged. _

_She cried out almost immediately after she said this, and her walls spasmed tight against me, causing me to instantly release with her._

As this memory of us reaching climax together entered my memory, I came. Hard. I released one hand from myself to grab the wall, as my knees buckled and I hit the shower floor. I moaned loudly, probably enough for any visitors on the second floor to hear me. The feeling rocked me like a roller coaster, a wave of pleasure rocking me over and over as I stroked myself to the end. Finally the feeling slowed and subsided, and I was left on the shower floor, the water now hitting me in cold pellets. I was shaking, rocked by the intensity of what had just happened.

Woah.

****

**Let me know what you think! :)**


	3. Festival

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. However, I wish Jacob was mine. I'd nom nom nom him to pieces hehe :)**

**Thanks to JaspersDarkAngel for once again proof reading for me. CHECK OUT HER STUFF! She's got a JazzElla story and a EmmettElla story as well! :) **

**Enjoy!! :)  
**

Chapter 3

Festival

Whoa. It was the only thing I could think after the release I had just experienced. I was still kneeling in the shower, my breathing slowly returning to normal. I finally regained full control, standing back up. I rinsed completely, then ensured the shower was clean before getting out. I dried off with the towel which was almost a washcloth compared to me. _I'll have to remember to ask Jasper for a 'Jacob' sized towel._

I took my time dressing and getting ready, enjoying the solitude, as usual. I was looking forward to the festivities that lie ahead today, hoping to thoroughly enjoy some good food and drink. After dressing, styling my hair up with just my hands, and brushing my teeth, I locked up my room and slid the key around my neck on a piece of twine.

I made my way back downstairs to see Jasper was behind the bar. I figured that he had probably gotten a little sleep too since he had changed clothes and freshened up. He had changed into a pair of faded black pants with a white tank top that overly showed off his muscles. I chuckled to myself, thinking that he should have no problem finding a date in that attire. I was wearing the usual, a pair of grayish colored pants and a regular t shirt. I had other clothes, but it really did not occur to me to carry another set. These were still clean, considering I preferred to be naked most of the time.

Jasper was washing glasses as I approached, and he gave me a nod then asked, "Sleep well?"

I gave him a slight shrug, "It was okay. That bed always seems to make me dream, but I'm refreshed enough though." _Then again, after the shower who wouldn't be? _I chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. How about you? Did you get some rest?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah I got a little rest." He shook his head a little, "You're so strange sometimes, Jake."

"Why? Can't I have my own inside jokes?" _After all, Quil and Embry will know soon enough._

"Yeah, I guess you can."

"So what's on the agenda today?" I asked.

Jasper finished washing the last glass, towel dried it, and hung it above the bar with the others. "Well," he started, "Alice isn't due for another hour or so, so I figured we could go down to the pier. Her birthday is coming up and I want to get her something.

"Sounds good. You ready then?"

"Yeah. Just let me tell my folks." He slipped through a door at the back right of the bar. I used the time he was gone to take one last glance in the mirror. I know, sometimes I can be a little narcissistic, but self-confidence isn't that bad is it? I could be a lot worse.

A few minutes later, Jasper emerged from the back, "All right man, let's get outta here."

As we exited the tavern, it was already starting to look busy down by the pier. I started feeling apprehensive, but I couldn't pin down why. Shaking it off, I turned to Jasper as we walked, "So what are you thinking about getting for Alice?"

"Last year, she had her eye on this necklace. If I can find the vendor, it's what I'm gonna get. Or something similar."

Within a few minutes, we reached the pier and the start of the vendors. This was the first festival I had attended in Sparrow Grove. It was awesome. Vendors lined the pier, selling pretty clothing, and foods from different towns. As visitors passed, shopkeepers yell out slogans and sales pitches, anything to draw in shoppers. About four shops down, Jasper stopped. He looked like a kid in a candy store as he exclaimed, "This is it!"

He then shot into the tent. I followed, amazed at what I saw. Gems. In all different shapes, colors, sizes. In necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or just loose gems. I browsed the aisles, looking at all the various shades of purple, my mother's favorite color. I passed a stand of single gem stud earrings, and was excited to find a pair in the shade of lavender. I grabbed them off the stand and proceeded to pay, but before I reached the vendor I saw Jasper, and he flagged me over, "I need an opinion."

Jasper was looking at two necklaces, both very exquisite, and different from each other. One was a red jewel, shaped like a heart, encased in a silver outline and backing. It hung on a black velvet ribbon. The other was a hollow silver heart, and inside hung a very intricately carved rose. The stem and leaves were silver, but the rose itself was a carved red gem. It hung on a small silver chain.

"Well Jazz, she's your sister. Which one did she have her eye on last year?"

He gave a small pout, "They don't have the same kind she wanted! However, these are similar to her taste." He held him them up again, displaying them to me. The light hit them both, and they dazzled with their brilliance. But to me, one of them looked better.

"No rose," we both blurted out at the same time. I smiled, once again thinking that great minds _do_ think alike.

So it was settled. Jasper got Alice's necklace, while I purchased earrings for my mother. The vendor wrapped them both in gift boxes, both black, but tied them with ribbons that matched the color of the gem inside.

We continued along, meandering past shops, occasionally popping into one here or there. We had made it about half way down the pier when suddenly a very high pitched squeaky shriek that could probably break glass cried out, "JASPER!"

Up ahead, forcing her way through a throng of people was a tiny little thing. Five foot nothing, short dark brown hair cut into a bob, about chin-length, with wispy side bangs that hung to the left. She had a tiny pink bow in her hair.

I knew immediately that she had to be Alice. She was gorgeous. She had large blue doe-like eyes, much like Jasper's, except lighter, like cerulean set behind the longest lashes I had ever seen. Her facial structure was very pixie-like. She was wearing a strapless pink dress that matched her bow.

Jasper ran towards her, closing the gap between them, and she jumped into his arms. They swung around laughing from sheer happiness.

I looked away, past them, letting them have their moment when I stopped. A breeze had blown in the most amazing scent I had ever smelled. Cherry blossoms and lavender. I looked around trying to figure out where the smell was coming from. Then I saw _her._

She was pushing her way through the crowd, looking annoyed. Then she stopped, looked straight at me, then started walking towards me.

I couldn't movie. This girl was an angel. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Dark brown tresses, that hung to the middle of her back. She was so pale, like the sun had never kissed her skin until today. Her eyes were a silvery gray with splashes of blue in them. Full, kissable lips that were lightly tinted pink. Her body, well, it was amazing. Most amazing of all was that she was tall. About 6'0, which still made her about a foot shorter than me, but she was probably one of the tallest beauties I had ever seen.

Suddenly, I felt myself moving towards her as she was towards me. As I approached her, I realized she wasn't look at me, but behind me.

However, it didn't stop me from what I did next. Don't ask me why, but I couldn't stop myself.

She saw me at the last second, her eyes met mine, and she stopped. It was if time had ceased for a moment, and stupidly, I reached down, cradled her face in my hands, and kissed her gently. To other people, this response from me would appear lustful, as though I was thinking with my _other _head. But to me, it was because I had to kiss her, because in the moment, I had found the only woman I would ever need.

Her immediate response was not surprise, like one would think. No, for a brief moment, this stranger returned my affections as if it was as natural as breathing. In that moment, from the time I laid eyes on her, until this kiss ended, nothing else mattered.

And I knew.

_This is why I've been coming here._

What felt like an eternity, her lips pressed against mine, in reality was only about five seconds before her hands were on my chest, pushing me away. I stumbled back, a little dazed. She looked a little dazed too, and in her eyes the confusion, passion, and anger mixed as she glared me down, put her finger right in my face and screamed, "Who the _fuck_ do you think you are?"

That voice. _The girl from my dream._

BPOV

"Who the _fuck_ do you think you are?" I shouted, my finger in the face of the infuriatingly sexy man-god who was standing in front of me. I wasn't sure what to think, or how to feel. I was angry, yet baffled by what had just happened. _What the hell was he thinking? Hell, what was I thinking? _For a moment, I had kissed this stranger back. It was as if it was what I was supposed to be doing. I couldn't help it. I saw him, and nothing else mattered. Only for a moment though.

I stood there, really more embarrassed than angry. I was still a little wobbly in my steps, trying to steady myself when he spoke, "I'm.. I'm sorry."

_Oh, that voice._ It was bassy, smooth, and husky. _Like his scent, musky, with a hint of trees after a summer's rain.. A very rough smell. _I tried to contain myself as his scent enveloped me and I became instantly aroused. _This isn't the time Bella. You're mad at this guy._

I started on him again, "You're damn fucking right you better be sorry!"

"Bella!" I heard Alice's squeaky voice. "Bella! Are you okay?" She passed Mr. Tall, Dark, and Deliciously Smelling Handsome, gripping my arm in hers. _Stop it Bella._

I pointed at him again, "This asshole just kissed me!"

Another guy, blond curly hair with dazzling blue eyes walked up too, stopping next to the accused. _What is going on?_

"There a problem Alice?" the blond one asked.

"Yeah, this prick just kissed my best friend. What the fuck were you thinking?"

This guy, Alice knew him, so I could only guess that this was her brother, Jasper. He looked at the russet-skinned god standing next to him, and gave him a hard slap on the back before saying through hysterical spurts of laughter, "Jake! Man, don't ya know you're supposed to ask the lady on a date before you the moves on her?"

_Wait, he knows this guy? What the fuck have I gotten myself into?_

Alice's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Jake? Jacob? The one you've told me about? You said he was...confident, but you never mentioned narcissistic asshole!" She glared at him, still latched to my arm protectively.

He just stood there, looking bewildered, and mumbled another "sorry" under his breath. He wouldn't look me in the eyes, which was probably better, because I didn't want to look him in the eyes. Alice continued to squabble at him, calling him every name in the book, telling Jasper she was ashamed that he had 'friends' of this caliber. I actually felt a little sorry for him, I knew how cruel Alice could get when you crossed the line, so finally I put my hand on hers, "Enough Alice. He said he was sorry, and just let it go, because _apparently_ he's going to be here with us this weekend."

She stopped.

The blond, Jasper, was still laughing, "Ahh, baby sister, he said he was sorry. Give him a break."

She huffed, a little red in the face from all her bitching, "Fine." That was it for the moment.

Jasper continued, "So, you must be Bella. I must say, your name does indeed define your beauty." He reached for my hand, bringing it near his mouth, but not before turning to Jacob and saying, "Watch bro, this is how you properly introduce yourself and court a lady." He kissed my hand gently, "I'm Jasper, Alice's big brother. It is very nice to meet you."

Under usual circumstances I would blush when a guy complimented me, but suddenly I felt immune to compliments. It was nice of him to say so, but despite my internal struggle of being angry with Jacob, all I cared about what his opinion.

I did smile however and thanked him, "Likewise Jasper. Alice, well, she never shuts up about you. And you," I said turning to Jacob, "Owe me big time."

He reached his hand out to shake, and I slipped mine into his. As our skin touched, a small jolt ran through me, and him too from what I could tell. He brought it to his lips just as Jasper had and placed a soft kiss on it, his eyes never leaving mine, "Jacob. And yes, I'm in your debt for my inappropriate display of affection. Will you forgive me?"

_Ha. I'll make you work for it. _"We'll see." I averted my eyes after that, unable to control the intensity I was feeling as I looked into his. They were so beautiful. _He_ was so beautiful.

He turned to Alice next, looking a little intimidated, which was amusing, since she is so tiny. "Hi Alice, I'm Jacob. I'm sorry if I offended you. Please forgive me."

Jasper was practically rolling on the ground in hysterics. "Wow, Jake! You just got whipped by not one, but two women. Oh man!"

"If you don't stop laughing, I'll take your balls Jasper!" Alice barked.

That shut him up.

_Ahh yes, this day is off to a great start._

JKPOV

I was somewhat embarrassed. Truth is, I've never been railed like that by a women before. Yeah, I deserved it. However, its not like Bella stopped me before I kissed her, and for a moment she kissed me back. Then when I shook her hand, she felt the surge of attraction I felt, right? I swore I saw it in her eyes. The attraction was obvious. Or was it just me?

What got me the most was that I had dreamed about Bella. And that worried me. But I believed that my dreams were subjective, and they could be changed. Then again, maybe I was wrong. Maybe it wasn't her in the dream. But the voice was the same. What was going on?

I apologized again as both Bella and Alice turned and began walking down the pier arm in arm. Jasper looked amused still as we broke out in a slow stride behind them. "Good first impression Jake. What were you thinking man?"

I shrugged, "Don't know. Brain lapse maybe?"

"Uh-huh..." he waited for a more believable explanation, one that I really didn't have.

"I don't know. I saw her, and had this weird uncontrollable desire to kiss her. She kissed me back you know, for a split second."

"Naw! Why didn't you call her out?"

I chuckled, "What? And lose the opportunity to amuse you by getting my ass handed to me by your frighteningly tiny sister?" I shook my head, "It all happened so fast."

He shrugged, "She's just a girl, bro."

"Yeah. Right. Just a girl." _Yeah, he wouldn't understand._

We continued to follow behind them, the girls chatting ahead. Finally, I heard Alice squeak with delight as we came upon another jewelry shop, similar to the one from earlier. She released Bella's arm and shot into the tent.

"Shit," Jasper followed, "Gotta catch her before she buys something. Guess I'll be giving her that gift now."

Now it was just Bella and I standing outside. She hesitated for a moment, but then turned to go into the tent.

"Bella wait," I started.

She stopped, listened, but would not look at me, "Yeah, what?"

This was so odd for me. Maybe if I had not made that fatal decision of kissing her I would not have to fight this hard, "Look, I really am sorry about what happened. Can I please make it up to you? Let me take you out for dinner?"

She glanced up at me momentarily, and I saw it in her eyes. Yes. "No thanks Jacob." Then she ducked into the tent.

_Fuck._

Less than a second later, I heard Alice squeal with delight inside the tent, then she emerged, leaping into my arms to hug me.

_What the..._

"Thank you so much!" She shrieked.

_Huh?_

Jasper exited, followed by Bella. He was grinning ear to ear, "I told her you picked it out."

"Ah, you're welcome, Alice," I said, patting her on the back before releasing her to the ground.

Then she stuck her finger in my face, quite like Bella had earlier, "This doesn't mean you're forgiven! However, you are redeeming yourself."

"Yes ma'am," I said, giving my best Jasper impression, just for his amusement. I glanced to Bella, but she looked away, pretending that she had not been looking at me at all. With Alice not so angry with me, maybe I stood a chance.


	4. All Apologies

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters.. but if Jake was real... I'd be in heaven :)**

**Thanks to JaspersDarkAngel for helping me proof read... stop by and check out her page.... And I hope you enjoy :)  
**

Chapter 4

All Apologies

JKPOV

The rest of the day was spent wandering up and down the pier. We followed Alice who has a serious shopping problem. Bella looked as bored as us guys, but she mostly kept to herself, or very close to Alice. More than likely, she was avoiding having to talk to me. We stopped for lunch at a shop that was set up on the pier. It was from a town over on Habrigdon. It was a quaint little cozy tent with succulent food. We sat mostly in silence, except for when Alice was babbling on about what she was learning about in school.

Jasper and her seemed so happy to be in each other's company that Bella and I just kind of let it flow. When we had been seated at the table, Bella and I were sat across from each other, while Alice and Jasper were across from each other. With the two of them babbling on, it was hard to get a word in anywhere.

Finally, after our late lunch, Alice seemed satiated enough to stop shopping. It was a few hours away from dark still, but a cool breeze was bringing in a storm from the sea. For miles out the sky was dark, and even farther out flashes of lightning lit up the sky.

Alice was lucky to have Jasper and I. About halfway back towards the tavern, she was so overloaded with bags that she was starting to lose her balance. I came up behind her, "Here Alice, let me help."

She seemed pleased, "Thank you Jacob!" Slowly I was making headway with her, which was good. I had a feeling that without her on my side, getting Bella to forgive me would be much harder. Jasper came up too, taking the rest of the bags from Alice. She suddenly started bouncing as soon as all the extra weight was lifted off of her. For me, carrying the bags was no big deal, but poor Jasper looked like we was straining after a while. I had to pretend too, to avoid suspicion.

By the time we made it back to the tavern, the rain had started to drizzle on us. Jasper and I followed Bella and Alice to their room. I followed them in and set Alice's bags on her bed. Then I nodded to them both, "I'll see you ladies later." On my way out, I made a mental note of which room they were in. 310. When Alice had moved out to go to school her parents turned her old bedroom into a storage room for the place, so now when she came to visit she got to stay in one of the rooms. Her parents had put her and Bella up in one of the suites.

I made my way back downstairs with Jasper.

"You wanna go out later?" he asked.

"Nah, man. I'm kind of tired," I lied. "I'm thinking about running over to the bookstore, then coming back and reading for the night. Besides, aren't you and Alice going to do something? I mean, you only have limited time until she goes back."

He shrugged, "I'm guessing she might emerge from the room later once she gets over her shopping coma."

I chuckled, "Yeah, she's quite the shopper."

"What a day, man. You pissed the girls off, then redeemed yourself with one. By the way, Alice would be a bad enemy to have, so you're welcome."

"Yeah, thanks man," I said, referring to him telling Alice about the necklace.

"No problem," he replied patting me on the back. We made it back down to the first floor into the tavern area as I headed for the door.

"I'll be back in a little bit," I said as I slipped outside.

The drizzle didn't bother me as I stepped out into it, heading to the flower shop. Yeah, I told Jasper I was going to the bookstore, but I figured he'd give me shit if I told him I was going to get Bella some flowers. I had to start making my sincerest apologies known. I would wait forever for Bella if I had to, but I needed to at least start making up for my transgression. And this gesture would be the first of many.

BPOV

I laid back on my bed for the weekend in the room Alice and I were occupying. It was a nice suite, with two double beds. Alice was going through her shopping bags, and of course she had forced me to get a few things. She tossed the items to me and I laid them on top of my bag. She had talked me into getting a red dress that was covered in black mesh-like material. It was very sexy, I had to admit it, but I couldn't think of anywhere I would need to wear it. She also talked me into getting a few other trendy t-shirts and a pair of pants.

I had just closed my eyes for a moment to rest when Alice piped into my thoughts, "So, that Jacob is a hottie isn't he?"

My eyes popped open at the mention of his name, and I'm sure I started to blush. I groaned, "Alice, this afternoon you had your claws dug into him, now you're asking me if I think he's attractive?"

_Yes, I do._

_Besides the point._

"Well, maybe I misjudged him," she said in defense.

"He _kissed_ me, Alice! So he helped Jasper pick out the necklace, and then carried some of your bags and you've forgiven him?"

She looked a little upset, "Yeah, but he did apologize repeatedly for it. Bella, I mean, you know me, sometimes I tend to over react."

I sighed, "Fine. Yes Alice, I do think Jacob is very attractive, however, he's conceited. He thinks he can have whomever he wants whenever he wants. He's totally not my type."

"Well, do you want him?"

"Yes," I blurted out before I could stop myself. I tried to cover, "I mean..."

"Ah-hah!" Alice exclaimed, jumping up onto the bed and pointing an accusing finger at me, "I knew it! You've got the hots for bad boy Jacob! Not your type huh? I beg to differ!"

"How did you know?"

"Well for one Bella, you're never as quiet as you were today," she started, her words speeding up as she got more excited.

"I was mad," I defended myself.

"Nuh-uh," Alice said not buying it. "You are not one to hold grudges either. Remember when Daniel accidentally spilled that paint remover on your canvas? You stayed mad at him like two seconds. You were over being angry at Jacob for kissing you probably by the time he said sorry. Don't deny it Isabella!"

Alice was right, as she almost always was. I hadn't been mad for very long. But the rest of the day I was baffled. I couldn't wrap my head around it. It was as if I _loved_ him.

_That's not possible. You just met him._

Alice continued, "Finally, you spent all day avoiding him. You only get like that when you're attracted to someone."

"Regardless of how I think or feel, it's best I stay away from it."

"And why is that?"

"You know me, I love being in love. I don't want a weekend fling. This is all that would be."

"How do you know that?"

"Umm... because we leave tomorrow night?"

Alice pouted, "You're no fun Bella. Mind if I have a romp with him then?"

"Alice, you have no shame," I chuckled. However, her question caused an unexpected emotion. _Jealousy? I'm jealous over a guy I just met? This is too weird for me._

Before I could answer, there was a knock on the door. Alice flitted across the room to get it. I heard the door click as it opened followed by a delighted cry escape Alice's lips as she came back into my view holding a giant bouquet of cherry blossoms and lavenders.

_How odd..._

"They're for you."

"Me?" I was shocked. I had not been bought flowers in a long time, and these were different. These had personal written all over them. Roses are so cheesy. But to take the time to come up with a bouquet that wasn't the usual arrangement of flowers really touched me. I pulled the card out of the bouquet and opened it up to read. It was short and simple:

All apologies.

-Jacob

P.S. I look forward to seeing your beautiful face again.

"Oh! What's it say? What's it say?!" Alice squealed. I handed her the note and she read it. A giant grin spread across her face, "Oh Bella! I think he's smitten over you too! Forget what I requested, time for you to get yourself some of that totally hot piece of man meat!"

I rolled my eyes, "Alice, I swear. I'm not interested in a weekend fling!"

"That's not what I meant..." she started, but I cut her off.

"Drop it, Alice. He can grovel all he wants. I'll forgive him for the kiss, but he's not getting laid."

"But..."

"Drop it!"

She did, but I could tell she was bursting at the seams to talk about it. I was too, in all honesty, but I couldn't tell Alice how I really felt: like I'd been hit in the head and knocked silly into love. _Love. Really?_

I love Alice, but she has a big mouth. If I told her any more than she already got out of me, I'd be in trouble. Something would happen, and then I'd be vulnerable because it 'slipped.'

This feeling was different though. Compared to other emotions I had ever had about guys before, this was different. As much as I was fighting it, I had to admit that being in his presence calmed me, and I felt...happy. Also, until today I had really thought that I _had_ been in love. What was I thinking?

Of course, I must be crazy. Shit like this doesn't happen. Especially not to me.

JKPOV

I was standing at the end of the hall when the guy delivered the flowers and card to Bella for me. I heard Alice squeal with delight as she saw the flowers. After she shut the door, and the delivery guy left, I eased down the hall to listen in on Bella's response.

Alice had done a complete 180 since this afternoon. Now she was defending me, telling Bella that she should pursue something with me. Bella didn't agree. I heard the words, "No weekend fling" and "He can grovel all he wants."

My first impression I had left on Bella was not a good one. She thought I just wanted to sleep with her. I hadn't really even thought of her like that. I mean, obviously I'm very sexually attracted to her, but I believed she was the one. There's so much more to a relationship when you've found the one. Well, she wasn't getting rid of me that easily. She would be mine. I moved away quietly from the door, but in my distractive thoughts, I had not realized that someone had come to the door. It opened before I had made it safely out of view.

I smelled her before I saw her, and of course she saw me, "Jacob? What are you doing out here?"

_Busted._

I turned to face her. She was so gorgeous, it nearly took my breath away. She had changed into a pair of khaki shorts and black tank-top and had pulled her dark brown hair out of her face into a pony tail. I quickly attempted to make something up, "I was, uh, looking for an ice machine."

"Uh huh." She wasn't convinced. "On the third floor, when I'm pretty sure your room _isn't _on the third floor. _Coincidently_ after you had flowers delivered to my room?"

"Heh." I scratched my head guiltily. "Yeah, guess so."

"Well, while I appreciate the gesture, it hasn't changed anything. I'm still upset."

I nodded, "I understand. Guess I'll have to keep _groveling_ till you forgive me." I flashed her a dashing smile.

She smiled slightly, which was better than not at all, but didn't appear to catch that I had been listening. "We'll see."

The tension in the hallway was mounting. _Why does she have to fight what is inevitable?_ I just stood there for a moment, eyes locked into hers, until she looked away.

"I, uh, gotta go," and she ducked back into the room she came from.

She could only fight it so long. Then again she would leave for Bartonville tomorrow evening. I had to move quickly to as least get her to give me a chance. I needed her to see that I didn't just want a fling with her. Yes, I'm capable of flings, obviously, but I'm much like a wolf in the fact that I'm very loyal. I would never hurt or be unfaithful to any girl I was with, especially Bella. And now, I no longer felt the need to even look at another female, and I needed her to see that.

I made it back to my room just as I head a loud clap of thunder. The storm had finally made its way into the town and it was pouring out.

It was too bad, because it would've been a nice night to run. I decided to go find Jasper. I left my room again and headed back downstairs. Sure enough, Jasper was at the bar. I pulled up a seat beside him.

"I need a favor," I said.

I could always count on Jasper. He gave me a nod, "Anything bro, what's up?"

"I need to know all you know about Bella." I waited for an outburst of hysterical laughter, but it never came. _So far, so good._

"I don't know much. You'd be better off asking Alice. Want a drink?"

"Sure." He got up and moved around the bar to make us a drink. "Do you think she would tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

I turned to see Alice descend the stairs into the tavern. She crossed the floor and planted herself next to me. There was no sign of Bella.

Jasper spoke, "Jake here wants to know more about Bella. He's got a crush!"

I chuckled, scratching my head and shrugged innocently, "Yeah, guess I might."

"Well, what do you want to know? And Jazzy, make me a drink."

Jasper nodded.

"Anything. What does she like, dislike? What's she doing with her life? You know, things like that." I was still apprehensive, wondering if Alice would spill, but she didn't disappoint.

"She's an artist. Painting and sketching mostly. She hates shopping, obviously. Umm... she likes the color red, especially deep red, books, and you... She dislikes..."

"Wait," I interrupted, "What did you say?"

"I _said_ she dislikes..."

"No, before that. She likes red, books, and?"

"You?" she grinned.

"And she told you that?"

Jasper set down our drinks. Alice took a big gulp then continued, "In so few words, yes."

"How can I make her forgive me? Give me a chance?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure she's forgiven you, though she won't right out say it. However, she's so stubborn when it comes to liking someone. I'd say persistence is key. And on that note, we should stop talking about her, because she'll be down any minute."

"What's the plan then?" Jasper asked.

A sly grin crossed Alice's face. "I was thinking we'd play a drinking game. Give Bella some liquid courage, and give Jake here a chance."

_I really was beginning to like Alice._

BPOV

I stood there, admiring the bouquet sitting on the dresser. They smelled so nice. I was surprised. Most men gave me roses. _I hate roses._ Sure, they're pretty. But they're so... expected.

Jacob was good.

I headed downstairs slowly. I had no idea what we were going to do. The weather was shitty and rainy so I figured we would probably sit around and drink. This probably meant that Jacob would be there.

Sure enough, my last descent down the stairs proved me right. Alice, Jasper, and Jacob were at the bar. As I approached they all turned. I avoided looking at Jacob. It was probable that he already knew everything Alice and I had discussed. She had probably indulged everything I had said, even though I had asked her not to. The bad thing about Alice is she always wants to play matchmaker.

"Bella! You ready for a drinking game!?" Alice squealed.

_Ugh, I knew it._

"So what game are you going to embarrass us with tonight?" I asked. I had a feeling I would not want to be part of this game. Then again, there was rarely a game Alice wanted to play that I wanted to have part in.

"The game is... Circle of Death," she responded smugly.

I hated Circle of Death, for two good reasons. One: I was guaranteed to get hammered. Two: Once hammered, I wouldn't need Alice to tell all my secrets, I'd do it willingly. Which meant I would flirt with Jacob, and I'd make a fool of myself. _Bitch._

Jacob and Jasper seemed excited about this and Jacob asked, "How do you play?"

"Oh, it's very easy," Alice grinned. She began to explain the rules. "Each card has a rule attached to it. Some of them are drinks, some of them are games, and then the loser has to drink. Jasper, I need a full glass."

He nodded and went to fetch it.

"We place this glass in the middle, and spread that cards out around it. The first person pulls a card, what ever that card is, then the rule for the card must be applied." Jasper set down a large glass of ale in the middle of the table, and Alice spread the cards in a circle around it. "The point of the game is not to break the circle of cards. The person who does, gets to drink this whole drink in the middle of the table. So be careful!"

She went on to explain the rules attached to each card. As we all got settled at the table, I was pretty sure that I had been fooled into sitting next to Jacob. Well, I guess Alice deserved to sit next to Jasper. However, sitting so close to him proved difficult to my concentration. While part of me was stressed, having him so close to me, the other part of me was peaceful, at ease. It was kind of unnerving. And he smelled so deliciously good: like a forest after a rainstorm. It was intoxicating.

_Maybe Alice is right. Maybe I need to loosen up and have a little fun. I'll only live once, right? _He seemed to really want to make a good impression on me. First with the flowers, and who knows what else he had up his sleeve for the evening.

Alice designated Jasper to start the game, and he drew the first card, "Ace!"

"Waterfall!" Alice giggled, "Hah! And Bella's last."

_Fuuuuuuuuck._

Waterfall can really be the death of you. The way it goes, is the person who drew the card starts to drink and so does everyone else. When drinker number one stops, then drinker number 2 can, and so on. I was last, with Jasper starting, and Jacob before me. _Great._

Jasper started to drink, and so did we. He finished his glass, Alice stopped because she couldn't hang, and now I just waited on Jacob.

The key is to drink slowly, so that you don't get drunk as fast. So there sat Jacob, watching me with this amused look on his face, pacing himself with me. If I drank slower, so did he.

_Fucker._

I couldn't stop. If you stop before the person before you, Alice likes to play a side game of truth or dare where the person who was before the person who quit drinking, gets to ask the loser truth or dare. It can be bad.

When I had about a quarter of a glass left, he stopped. So did I.

"Glad to see you can hang Bella," he chuckled, gave me a wink, then a slight nudge that sent a shiver of electricity down my spine.

The game continued on. About halfway through the game, Alice drew the first King. The person who draws the King gets to make any rule they want. Alice was in complete control.

"Make a rule!" she giggled excitedly, then hiccuped. I tried not to appear scared, but I was. I braced myself for what I knew was inevitable. "Bella..." her speech was slightly slurred at this point. She was such a lightweight. But we all had a nice buzz going. We'd been playing for about an hour and a half.

"What? You evil witch!" I countered jokingly. _Never let the enemy smell your fear._

"Every time..." Hiccup... "Jacob," she pointed, closing one eye, "Oh.. two Jacobs?" She giggled. "Every time... he drinks... you have to pay him a compliment. And if you forget, you have to drink two plus tell us a secret."

Jacob grinned, "I like that rule."

I growled, "Yeah, you would, you pompous ass!"

I wasn't really mad, just felt like I should pretend I was. This game was totally geared toward getting me to hook up with Jake. _Am I calling him Jake now? Great. So much for trying to pretend I'm angry. _I didn't like to be pushed into situations.

"Wait Alice, I've got a better rule," Jacob started, grinning mischievously. "Every time I drink, _I'll_ compliment Bella. And if she can avoid lashing out at me, then she won't have to drink and indulge. If she fails to contain her witty banter at my most sincere compliments, she will drink, indulge a secret, and have to succumb to a dare."

I was turning red, I could feel it. _That's even worse. I'm no good with dares._ I'm also bad with taking compliments. Alice is always saying that I'm so self-deprecating, that I don't have enough faith in myself. The thing is, I imagine Jacob had tons of compliments, general compliments that he used on every girl.

Of course, Alice agreed with Jacob's rule. And the game continued. Now the aim of the game was to attempt to invoke me to lose my cool so that I would be put on the spot. The "fun" continued.

Every chance Jasper or Alice got, they would make Jacob drink, and in turn he would look at me, and say something. The compliments started with the usuals, "Your hair looks nice," and "You have pretty eyes." Another glass of ale later, he got bolder.

"Jake, drink bro," Jasper said with a smirk.

Jacob nodded. Then he reached over, pulling my hand into his.

_Contain yourself, Bella, or you'll wish you had._ I looked down. Looking at him would be fatal, however with his other hand he tilted my face to look at him.

_Ugh, I'm gonna lose._

He smiled softly, his deep chocolate eyes holding mine in a steady gaze, and he spoke softly, "I love the way you smell; like cherry blossoms and lavender. It's intoxicating to me. It clouds my judgment and makes me crazy. In a good way of course."

The flowers made sense now.

_Hold on Bella. You're almost there._

The intensity was worse than it had been before. The comment was flattering and believable. And for a moment, in my drunken stupor, I let my guard down and bared my soul. I smiled softly, but didn't say anything.

Then he pulled away, and I snapped out of it. Alice and Jasper both had amused looks on their faces. I felt myself flush bright red again as I looked back at my drink. I was furious at all of them. My life was not to be the center of everyone's amusement. I felt a nudge under the table and looked down to see Jacob's hand. In it was a piece of paper. I took it, opened it, and read it.

I meant every word.

-J-

I closed it and put it in my pocket. I'd had enough anyways. I stood, "I'm gonna excuse myself now." However, standing was a bad idea. I swayed in my spot, then sat back down.

"You okay Bella?" Jacob asked.

I looked his way and nodded, "Yeah... I think..." _Uh oh._ I felt the nausea and spinning start. I tried to stand again, but stumbled. I felt someone grab me, probably Jacob, and steady me.

"Come here," he said, gently pulling me to him.

I leaned my head against his chest. However, it didn't help. "Lemme go..." I stepped back, but not fast enough as my dinner made an appearance down the front of Jacob's shirt and pants.

That was the last thing I remember.

JKPOV

I caught Bella just as she collapsed, after puking all over me. I felt bad. This was partially my fault. Alice and Jasper both looked mortified.

"Oh my gosh! Is she okay?" Alice freaked, jumping out of her chair.

_Talk about a sobering moment._

"Yeah, she's just passed out." I said. I held her up against me, then grabbed her legs, carrying her. "Nearest bathtub? We need to get her clean before putting her to bed."

"I'll show you," Jasper said. He then turned to Alice, "Alice, go get a change of clothes for her and bring them to my bathroom."

Alice nodded as she went upstairs, "I'll grab her bath stuff too."

I followed Jasper to his room and to his bathroom. I had him lay out a towel on the floor and I laid her on it. "I'm gonna need to borrow a change of clothes and shower before getting her cleaned up."

Jasper nodded, "No problem. Man, poor Bella. She's gonna be pissed, and hung over tomorrow."

I nodded, "Yeah, I think we went too far. Just set the clothes on the cabinet or something. I'm gonna get cleaned up."

He nodded and left the room.

The first thing I did was rinse my clothing. It would need to be washed later, but for now this would have to do. Then I rinsed myself. Jazz came in and set the fresh clothes and a towel down before excusing himself again. When I was done, I stepped out. Bella was sleeping on the floor. Out cold. I dried off and slipped into the clothes Jazz had let me borrow. They were a gray that reminded me of Bella's eyes. I thought about how she had looked at me after I told her that I loved the way she smelled. I saw her make the connection with the flowers, and I saw for a moment how much she loved it.

When I opened the door, Alice was waiting with all of Bella's shower stuff in hand. I tried to move around her but she stopped me in my tracks, "I need your help. Jazz is cleaning the floor in there and I need someone to help me lift and move Bella. I feel terrible! I was just trying to get her to lighten up!"

"Ah, Alice, don't be so hard on yourself," I sighed, "It's all our faults. So, how are we gonna do this?" I felt bad, looking at Bella. She had it all down her the front side of her, and somehow managed to get it in her hair. It was a good thing I had a strong stomach.

"Okay," Alice started, "Hold her while I strip off her dirty clothes. You okay with that?"

I nodded, "Strictly business. Plus the smell of vomit isn't exactly 'hot'." I held her while Alice stripped her down to her undergarments. Bella would be mortified if she was awake right now.

"Umm, okay.. I'm gonna take off her panties, then set her in the tub."

I nodded, "You're a good friend Alice."

"Well, I love Bella like a sister. And honestly, she's done this for me, numerous times. She's usually the level headed one who paces her drinking." She slid Bella's panties off, kicking them aside. _Black lace. Focus Jacob._ I carefully lifted her, setting her in the tub.

Alice then removed her bra, which I noticed matched her underwear. She ran warm water then grabbed a cup. "Can you get that shampoo over there?" She pointed to a pink bottle, that I fetched for her. "Okay, so, now I need you to hold her head back so I can wash her hair." I did as she asked. However, Alice put me at the worst possible angle. It took all I could not stare. I caught a glimpse, but felt guilty enough to keep from staring. If she wanted me to see her, she would how me. Alice pulled the tie out of her hair, then lathered, rinsed, and repeated once. After, I helped Alice by holding so she could wash her off to the best of her ability without getting too touchy-feely.

Finally, we pulled her out, dried her off, and clothed her. Alice sighed, looking exhausted. I carried Bella in my arms as we went back into the bar area where Jasper was finishing up cleaning the floor and table. "Alice," I said, "You need to go to sleep. I'll take Bella and watch her."

She raised a suspicious eyebrow at me, "I... don't know... can I trust you?"

"Alice, I promise you, I have no intention of doing anything stupid. Jasper will back me up. Even if she woke up and begged me I wouldn't. I know the effect that alcohol has on women, believe it or not."

Jasper piped in, "Let him take her Ally. He's not gonna do anything stupid. I'd kill him if he did."

I snorted a laugh out, "Yeah, you'd try." I grinned, heading to the staircase, "Go to bed Alice. I'm sure Bella will be pissed in the morning, but I promise I'll take care of her."

Alice nodded, following behind me as we made our way up. I went to my room as Alice went to the third floor. I opened the door, and walked to the bed, setting Bella in it and covering her. Then I took off my shirt and crawled into bed with her. I did not touch her or cuddle up next to her. I would respect her space. I laid my hands behind my head and stared at the ceiling in the darkness. Bella's breathing was calm, like a sleeping baby. With all the vomit smell gone, her scent enveloped the room. I inhaled it deeply. I was saddened by the fact that she would leave tomorrow. I would have to make a trip out to visit her.

Occasionally, she would mumble or whimper in her sleep. I found it intensely sexy. As I finally started to doze off, I felt her brush up against me.

"Bella?" I whispered into the darkness. No response.

She rolled, facing me now, and nuzzled into me. She wrapped an arm around my waist and rested her head on my chest. I put my arm around her, cradling her close to me. I ran my hands in her long locks, which was damp still, and tucked a few tufts behind her ear. I did not feel this was betraying Alice. If I pulled away from her, she might wake up, then be really pissed. I mindlessly played with her hair, then placed a small kiss on the top of her head.

"Mmm..." she mumbled and then nuzzled deeper into my embrace.

I was at peace in that moment as I finally drifted off. In my last moments before finally succumbing to deep sleep, Bella tucked her hand into the waistband of my pants at my hip, let out a deep sigh, and I could've sworn she whispered, "I love you, Jacob."


	5. One More Chance

**Well, it's finally here, Chapter 5**!! **It's been crazy busy, taking care of my mother's arrangements, but it's slowly getting done. Want to make an apology to my beta (JaspersDarkAngel) for putting this out before she finished it. I may repost if she gets the time to beta. I looked over it**, **so hopefully the mistakes are few and far between.**

**Also**, **my fashion terminology is a very small vocabulary, but I did my best in describing the outfits in this chapter, and posted two links to two outfits at the end.**

**I've already started Ch 6, but I'm pretty busy so I'm doing what I can, when I can.** **When I wrote this chapter, I was so bored (except for the beginning) but when I re-read it, i didn't feel like it was too bad. Anyways! Hope you enjoy! Leave some love if you want!**

Chapter 5

One More Chance

Sheer, blinding pain met me once I became conscious the next morning. I could hear the wind howling outside, and the rain hitting the window in sheets with the gusts of wind. I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom where Alice was showering.

"Alice," I groaned, squinting my eyes. The bathroom lights were so excruciatingly bright, that it hurt to have my eyes open at all. I could see my reflection in the mirror, and I looked horrid. I turned on the water, splashing my face as I leaned against the sink basin. "I feel like such an idiot, Alice." Then I panicked, "Oh no! Jacob must be repulsed by me! Well, I can't very well be mad at him anymore, can I? I hope he hasn't left to go..." _Wait. _My eyes adjusted, even though my head was pounding, I suddenly focused on my surroundings. _This isn't mine and Alice's bathroom. _

"Alice?"

The water shut off and the shower curtain opened, exposing a totally nude and water droplet covered god, Jacob. I felt myself go weak in the knees, and my headache dissipated for a moment. He looked so sexy as he smiled brightly at me. My eyes instantly wandered, following droplets that fell from his short, spiky black locks, hit his chest and began to race down his pecs, over his stomach with the chiseled abs, almost an eight pack, down past his belly button, and continued to...

_Oh... my... fucking..._

"Morning Bella. Mind handing me a towel?" he smiled again. However, the smile was not a smug one. It was a genuine smile, and he apparently had no shame whatsoever. _Not that he should have any shame..._ I averted my eyes, grabbed the towel that was hanging on the rack, and threw it at him. I then ducked out of the bathroom quickly, my emotions taking a turn from hungover and cranky to just flat out pissed.

Jacob was close behind me. "Bella, wait..." he started.

I jerked around to confront him, my face crimson with anger, "What the hell happened last night? We didn't.... Did we? Please say no, Jacob. Please say no!" I was panicking, and getting angrier by the second. I didn't think I could live with myself if I had fucked Jacob and didn't remember.

He shook his head, water falling from his hair, "No Bella. Despite what you may think about me, I would never have taken advantage of you in that situation. I'm much more gentlemanly than that." The towel around his waist barely covered him. Even though I was angry, I could not stop staring at his body. It was making me crazy. And now, I no longer need to imagine anything. I had seen it all.

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?" I asked trying to chase the images in my brain out.

"Uhh..."

_Is he blushing?_

He continued, "Trust me, you'd know."

_What the... ohh... shoot me now please.... _I'm sure the color in my cheeks displayed how embarrassed I truly was.

"Then please, enlighten me. After my... episode... what happened?"

"Well, let's see. You made a mess of my clothes. I carried you into Jazz's bathroom where Alice stripped you down and bathed you. She's a good friend you know."

_Surely she'd need hel... Ugh! Could this morning get any worse?_

"Yes, I helped. She couldn't lift you on her own, so I had to help."

_Nothing left to his imagination either... Great..._

He continued, "Then Alice said she was tired, so I offered to keep an eye on you. She didn't let you go willingly, but I promised her I would behave. I took you to my room and let you sleep. If anyone's guilty, its you, for cuddling me." He grinned. It was that conceited asshole grin that I despised. It made my blood boil. When Jacob was being genuine, I felt myself melt. But when he acted like the world revolved around him, it irritated me. Okay, I won't lie, part of me found it sexy that he was so confident, but at the same time, he sometimes did not know when to turn it off. Now was not a time to joke. This was serious. Well, at least I thought so.

With that comment, I lost it. Whereas I had been mad before, I was fucking furious now. "CUDDLE YOU? I...WAS...DRUNK!" _Okay, it was no excuse, but..._

"I...just..." I was so flustered I couldn't speak, "I...let.. me..GRR!" I stomped my foot, growling.

Jacob took a step towards me, "Bella..."

"DON'T YOU FUCKING COME NEAR ME!" I screamed, putting my arms up in defense.

Jacob looked at me, "Bella, you just need to calm down."

"CALM DOWN?! YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!? FUCK YOU JACOB! I'M SO FUCKING SICK OF EVERYONE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR ME!" I was getting angrier, "I'M TIRED OF EVERYONE THINKING I'M SOME HOPELESSLY ROMANCE DEPRIVED DAMSEL IN DISTRESS THAT NEEDS TO GET PLASTERED IN ORDER TO MEET A GUY? I'M PERFECTLY FUCKING CAPABLE!" I was so mad. By the time it was said and done, my hangover would be horrific. Now, along with being angry, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

What happened next, I'm not really sure. I had found a lamp on the dresser and went to reach for it. My intentions were simple, to smash the fuck out of it. But no sooner had I moved an inch, I was suddenly pressed into a wall. Jacob had my arms pinned at my sides, his bare chest inches from my face. I looked up at him, the rage still flooding my eyes, "Let...me...go..." I struggled against him, fighting back tears still.

"Calm...the...fuck...down..." He seemed to have no problem with me struggling against him. In fact, the harder I struggled, the less effort he seemed to have to put into holding me in place.

I pushed against his chest, and struggled until I couldn't anymore. Underneath the heat of his body, him being in such close proximity to me, I weakened. I finally stopped fighting, and let the tears fall. He pulled me against his chest, resting his chin on my head.

He mumbled, "Bella, I don't see you as a damsel in distress, nor do I think you need to be drunk to get a date. I am sorry about last night, we were just trying to have fun."

I didn't respond, and as I calmed down, the hangover came back full force and I suddenly felt sick. "Jacob," I choked out, "bathroom."

He released me and I shot past him into the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet before I vomited again. I heard Jacob come in behind me.

_How embarrassing._

He knelt behind me, and I felt his warm hands in my hair, as he pulled it back out of my face. I spit into the toilet, then lifted my head up and flushed. _Disgusting._

"I'm really trying here, Bella," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

The nausea finally passed, and I closed the toilet seat. "Okay, I'm done." I felt Jacob release my hair. His hand traveled down my arm, taking my hand and helping me up off the floor. I went to the sink, and washed my face and rinsed out my mouth. My head was pounding. I looked in the mirror, locking eyes with Jacob for a moment. I looked away almost instantly, and then turned around. "I should head back to my room."

"I could cook your breakfast if you want."

I shook my head, "No thanks, Jake. I'm just gonna go rest for a bit." _Jake? I was calling him Jake now?_

He nodded, "Okay. Wait a second though. I have something for you." He went over to the corner of his room. And then came back towards me holding something wrapped up. It looked like a book of sorts. He handed it to me, "Just a little something I picked up."

I took it, "Thanks. You didn't have to. I'll open it when I get back to my room."

He smiled, "You're welcome. I just saw it and thought of you."

I turned to leave.

"Oh, and Bella?" he asked.

I turned again to face him.

"If I don't see you before you get ready to leave, will you at least promise me you'll come say goodbye?" I felt bad, looking at him. He looked so pained to think that I would be leaving soon.

I nodded, "Yeah, I promise. See you later, Jacob." I opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind me. I began to walk down the hall to the nearest staircase, but then stopped about 10 feet from Jacob's door. I looked at the present in my hands, turned it over, and then began to remove it from its packaging.

It was a sketchbook and pencil.

I smiled softly to myself. _Alice must've told him that I liked to draw and paint._ Which meant he'd taken the time to try and learn about me. I was flooded with so many emotions. Confusion mostly. What did he want from me? I flipped open the front page to see that he'd drawn on the inside cover. I chuckled. It wasn't the best artist interpretation I had ever seen, but I could tell he had tried. He had drawn a wolf, howling at the moon. Then underneath it, he had written:

I don't want a one night stand.

One date? Please.

-J-

I sighed, then I took the pencil and ripped a page out of the book. It was kind of cute how his letters were really short. Short, sweet, and to the point. I scribbled on the paper, then walked back to Jacob's door, and slid it under. Then I went back upstairs to my room, hoping he wouldn't open his door before I had made it off his floor.

The walk to my room was painful. My head was pounding, and each step I took echoed in my brain like someone was crashing cymbals together. Finally, I reached my room. I didn't have my key, so I just knocked. I heard shuffling, then the click of the lock. Alice opened the door. I'm sure she would've squealed under normal circumstances, but I guess the pained look on my face made her think twice.

However, she did start by saying, "I'm so sorry, Bella."

I waved my hand at her. I was done being angry with her, and with anyone else for that matter. While I had realized I was tired of people trying to do what they think is best for me, I also realized that I let people run over me like that. Of course, Alice doesn't mean it, and my other friends don't either, but I still let it happen. "Alice, I'm only going to say this once and after that I don't want to hear anything else about it. Understood?"

She nodded.

"I accept your apology." I moved past her and crawled onto the bed, laying my head on the pillow. I let out a pained groan, then mumbled, "Man, Alice! I can't believe I puked on Jake, and on top of that, he saw me naked!"

Alice was silent for a moment. I _had _just told her not to talk about it, but then she said, "Well if it's any consolation, he behaved himself quite well. I could tell he wanted to ogle your goodies, but he didn't! He really does like you Bella."

I sighed, "Yeah, I know."

"Well, what about you?" Alice crawled up onto the bed next to me, laying her head on a pillow and giving me a serious look. "How do you feel? How did Jake act this morning? I mean, did he seem completely repulsed after he found your lunch all over him?"

In that moment, I didn't feel like lying to Alice, or myself for that matter. Not anymore. Jacob could invoke emotions in me that I didn't know existed, from both extremes. But I knew one thing, I had feelings for him. From the moment I set eyes on him, I knew there was something different. I just didn't want to admit it, until now. "He didn't seem like it bothered him. I think I really like him Alice. I don't know, it's different. If I'm not fighting it, like, if I let it happen, then it's so surreal. Time stops, and I feel so happy, and so at peace, like I'm... I don't know..."

"In love?" she finished my sentence.

I nodded sheepishly, "Yeah. But then again Alice, how can something like this really work? I mean, he lives so far away. We might as well exist on different planets."

Alice chuckled, "Not to sound cliché or anything, but if it's true, it will find a way."

"Yeah, I suppose."

A crack of thunder rumbled our room. Alice let out a whine of complaint, "This weather sucks. It looks like its gonna pour again." She slipped off the bed and headed to the window.

As she pulled back the curtains I saw how gloomy it was out. More dark rain clouds blanketed the horizon. "If it keeps up this way," Alice started, "We may not be able to leave tonight." A grin spread across her face, "That would be good for you."

JKPOV

From the moment I had woken up, a persistent stench infiltrated the air. However, still snuggled in my embrace was my Bella. Well, she wasn't mine, not yet at least. It was early, the sun barely peeking over the horizon through the clouds.

_Maybe that smell is from the bad weather._ I got up carefully, not wanting to disturb the sleeping beauty in my bed. I threw on the shirt Jasper had let me borrow, then quietly slipped out of the room. I made my way downstairs, and then ninja-ed my way out the back door. I was hoping the guys, Quil and Embry, would be awake, and shifted as I made my way into an area of cover where I wouldn't be noticed. I slipped out of the clothes Jasper let me borrow, then willed myself to change.

It was a release to finally shift after two days. Instantly, my head was filled with the voices of Quil and Embry, who were awake. I had figured they would be. Early morning is generally when we meet if one of us was out of town.

"Jake!" Embry spoke excitedly. "It's about time you checked in? Where've you?..."

I gave them a brief rundown of the last two days. I knew that I would probably have to tell them more as they started asking questions, but I tried not to give everything away at first.

"Whoa..." he finished.

I heard Quil chuckle, "Found what you were looking for?"

"Yeah man," I started, "I think so."

He heard the apprehension in my voice, "Except... she doesn't see you yet?"

I sighed, now having to show him the first impression I had made. I knew what was coming.

The laughter that erupted was cacophonous.

Embry started the teasing, "Wow Jake! You really know how to woo a woman!"

Quil finished, "Yeah, that Alpha Male shit doesn't work on all women, you know."

"All right guys, can it," I interrupted. "I've been trying to make amends with her since it happened. I think I've made a little progress. Of course after last night, she kind of owes it to me to forgive me." I showed them the events from the evening before. "That's gotta give me some leverage right?"

"If you play your cards right. She'll probably...feel terrible about that. When she wakes up, just don't rub it all in her face. In fact, I wouldn't make her grovel or feel any worse about it than she probably will." Embry was right. However, I had not intended on giving her a hard time. I might make one, teensy weensie joke.

"All right guys," I said, "I'll probably head home tonight. Bella will be leaving then. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," Quil said.

"Go get her, bro," Embry finished.

I shifted, dressed, and headed back to town. It was still pretty early, but the sun was out, except it was hidden behind the clouds. I had to make two stops before going back to the Inn. My first stop was at the general store where I bought a sketchbook and pencil for Bella. Then I headed to the the clothing shop. I needed to give Jasper back his clothes, so I figured I would purchase a new outfit or two. I was in need of some new clothes anyways. I also wanted to look nice today. I was going to do my best to impress Bella before she left.

The pants were easy. They were black, made out of a higher quality material than I would normally buy. They hugged my hips and, although I hate to brag, made my ass look nice. They weren't tied at the waist like most of my pants. These actually had a button and zipper. They were really nice pants. I would have to always remember to never shift in these. I bought another pair in a deep gray as well. The shirts were a little more difficult to decide on. There were actually more style to choose from than I had ever thought. I guess that shows how much I shop for clothing. At that moment I kind of wished Alice was with me. I am sure she would have a ball dressing me. For my nicer shirt I decided on what is commonly called a pirate or poet shirt. It was black, long sleeved with a collar. Then the shirt was kind of opened in the front in a v-neck, with about four grommets on each side, and laced up with a simple piece of black rope. The v-neck didn't go down far, four or five inches or so. The other shirt was just a casual, kind of tight fitting jersey v-necked t-shirt in a dark blue.

With my purchases in hand I headed back to the Inn. Bella was still sleeping when I made it back to my room. Even thought she truly looked a mess, her hair all tangled from going to sleep with it wet, she was still beautiful. I put my bag on the dresser then headed to the shower.

You know the rest.

After I had managed to calm Bella down, given her the gift I had gotten for her, and watched her leave, I figured she would open her gift before she even made it to her room. If I know anything about women, they cannot wait to open a gift. I was right. I could hear the rustling as she opened her gift only a door or two down for mine. Then I heard the scribbling of a pencil and her "quiet" steps as she tried to sneakily come back to my door. A moment later a piece of paper slid under the door. I waited a moment until was down the hall before I retrieved it.

Anxiously, I opened the note:

Meet me downstairs in 2 hours. One date. One more chance.

Bella

I could have squealed like Alice in that moment. That's all I wanted, and I had gotten it. She had agreed! Now, she may have been doing it out of pity, the fact that she felt horribly guilty for puking on me. Then again I had just paraded all my junk in front of her face. _Oh..._ I smiled to myself conceitedly. _Nah, that wasn't why she said yes._ It didn't really matter to me why she said yes. I was just happy she did. I finished drying off then decided on the black pants and dark blue top. I figured the other shirt was more "evening date" attire. Then I sat down to think about what I should do. The weather was shitty, so I figured anything outdoorsy was out of the question. I thought on it for a bit, an upon my final decision I went into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

BPOV

I had finished telling Alice the story of my morning, all except my answer to Jake. I had saved that part for last. Of course, before I could tell her, she was begging me to tell her.

"Yes Alice!" I said, "I said yes. I'm supposed to meet him downstairs in about two hours. I don't know why I said yes though. I'm still so hung over. And now I have to try to put myself together for this date. Will you please help me?"

Alice giggled impishly, "Like you even have to ask!" She jumped off the bed and ran to my suitcase. I watched as my clothes were being thrown around the room in a frenzy, "Gosh Bella! Don't you have anything _decent_ to wear that doesn't scream beatnik?"

"Do you even have to ask me that Alice?" I grumbled.

"Well, I was going to save this until we got back, but I got you a couple of things when we went shopping yesterday. They'll just be perfect for a lunch date!" She went to her shopping bags and began digging through them. She finally pulled out three shirts. Then she stared at them all intently.

Finally she yanked one from the three, "Okay! So, wear those really nice jeans you brought with you, with... this!" The shirt she held up wasn't half bad. Alice really was getting better with trying to dress me in things that I would actually wear.

This shirt was all black. It was short sleeved, low cut, and was kind of ruffled or pleated down the front. It is a little hard to explain, but it was very nice. It also appeared that it would fit tightly to my curves, which in general I would be against, but for some reason I found myself looking forward to this date, and really wanting to look nice.

Alice pointed to the bathroom, "Shower, now!"

I nodded as I peeled myself off the bed. I still felt terrible, but I had to make myself get ready. The shower felt nice, and helped me shake off some of my hangover, but I still felt like stomped shit. After my shower, I dried off and then got dressed so that Alice could attack me to do my hair and makeup.

"Now Alice, you can't spend all day doing my hair and makeup. I've gotta be downstairs in an hour and 15 minutes, and I'd like to eat some crackers or something, so I don't vomit again."

"I know, I know," Alice whined, "I'll work as fast as possible."

Amazingly, she did. Since this "date" was not a formal night time date, she didn't need a reason to go overboard. She dried my hair, using the waviness to its full potential. By the time she was done it was completely down, but all the waves looked perfect. The things Alice could do with hair made me crazy. I could never get my hair to look like that. Sure, it would be wavy, but it would also be flat and frizzy. She made it look, well, perfect.

Then she did my makeup. She also had no reason to go overboard here, plus I had mentioned that I wanted to keep my makeup as natural looking as possible. Jake had already seen me without makeup, hell, the whole time we had been here. I don't normally wear it, unless I'm going out or on a date. She did good with that too. She put on the usual, a base and a powder, then just a little bit of black eyeliner to and mascara to draw out my eyes, and then finished my look off with a soft, sheer lip gloss that was tinted a pink color.

Once we were done, we headed downstairs. I had about half an hour until Jake and I were supposed to have this date. I was getting a little nervous, or maybe it was just the hangover, but regardless, I felt funny.

"Alice, I know Jake and I are going to eat, but I'm afraid if I don't get a little something in my stomach I'm gonna throw up again."

Alice grimaced at my comment, "Yeah, let's get down there and get you some bread or something."

We left the room and headed downstairs. I was hoping that Jacob would not already be downstairs, and to my relief I did not see him as we descended into the tavern area. Jasper was behind the bar, cleaning glasses, and serving a few of the people who had come in for a drink. It was still drizzling out but I could still see dark clouds out over the horizon which probably meant it would be raining again. Alice and I slipped behind the bar then back into the kitchen area. I made myself a sandwich, cut it in half, and gave the other half to Alice. It settled my stomach a little, however, my nerves were still going haywire.

We had been gone about 10 minutes, and when we re-entered the tavern area I immediately noticed 3 newcomers. No sooner had I seen them, they all turned and looked at me as well. I glanced away, but not before I made note of how absolutely beautiful all three of them were. It was surreal, like it was not possible that anyone could ever look so... perfect, much less three people. First, there was the blond girl. She looked to be no more than about twenty, but she had a wisdom in her deep violet eyes that went well beyond her years. Then again, they all seemed to have wisdom beyond the age they actually looked. I couldn't really tell from where she was sitting, but I guess she had to be about 5'8. Her hair was long, reaching about mid-back and parted down the middle, very straight. She wore clothing that was very high class compared to what everyone else wore around us, including me. The only way I can describe her dress is that it was similar to a 1950's Earth style cocktail dress. Alice had shown me a picture in a book one time. It was made out of probably one of the nicest materials in Iribo, and probably cost a fortune for her to have made. It was black, and the upper chest part had a design on it in a deep red. The design was intricate, tiny detailed roses and vines, etched in the material to stand out in front of the black. This accentuated the fact that her skin, as well as the other two with her, was white, almost translucent under the lights in the tavern.

Both of the guys were dressed similarly, however, one had bronze-ish colored hair and stood about 6'2 while the other hard dark brown almost black hair, and stood about 6'6. The taller one wore grey pants with a very thin white pinstripe with a matching jacket. He wore a white dress shirt with blue vertical stripes. The jacket sleeves were rolled up, with the dress shirt rolled with it. Over the dress shirt was a brown, squared patterned vest and a blue tie with an almost argyle design, which was not tied His shoes were a nice pair of dress boots, in black, but were covered by the pants. Then on the table sat a newsboy type hat. They all looked so out of place, but then again, the people who had the most money on Iribo, generally did. His eyes were a deep brown, and his skin was the same as the others, pale. He looked very strong, like a beast. He was bulky, and it was very intimidating. (I 3 this photo.. when I saw it.. I knew this had to be his outfit :) .)

The last guy was perhaps the most gorgeous of the three. His skin was like porcelain, flawless, like it had been airbrushed. His eyes were a peculiar shade of yellow, like amber, and they had this crazy intensity to them. He wore a similar outfit like the other guy. His pants were black, made out of a cotton-y type material and he wore laced up shoes. On his torso he wore a brownish plaid vest with a tan collared dress shirt and mahogany tie, and a beige-ish jacket. His hat was different though, it was more of a derby styled hat, as opposed to the newsy styled one the other guy wore. (.)

I can't say that I _felt _an attraction to this guy. He was gorgeous yes, but the perfectness of this guy was too... _perfect. _Alice nudged me, "Where's the beauty pageant?"

I chuckled, still unmoving from my position behind the bar. _Are they still staring?_ I stole a quick glance. Yeah. Well, the last guy was. His eyes were driving into me with such an intensity that I felt like I was being sized up for dinner.

Alice nudged me again, "He's coming this way."

I looked up, and sure enough, he was headed right towards us. A small smirk came to his lips as he approached. When he spoke, it was melodic, hypnotizing even, and it sent chills up my spine. And no, not the good kind.

"Hello there," he said, extending a gloved hand, "I'm Edward."

I reluctantly shook his hand, "Umm, Bella." _Why would someone wear gloves in this weather?_

"How lovely to meet you, Bella. That is my sister, Rosalie, and her fiancee, Emmett. We are new here, and well, I was wondering if you would give us a tour." He spoke with such, perfection, once again, I found myself kind of weirded out by this.

I was taken back by this. Although, like I said, Edward was attractive, and usually I would be all stupid goofy retarded in his presence, this time I wasn't. Maybe it was because I was about to be on a date with Jacob, or maybe it was because Edward and his oh-so-perfect sister and brother-in-law creep the fucking hell out of me.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm not from here." I pulled Alice forward, "She might be of better assistance."

Alice_ was_ dumbfounded in his presence. She just nodded, and smiled stupidly.

Edward smiled again, but not at Alice, "Sure, but would you like to join us then?"

Again I had to decline, this time a small frown creased into place on his face when I answered, "I have prior engagements, I'm sorry."

"Some other time then?"

"Perhaps."

_I don't know what it is, but this is all turning out to be the weirdest weekend of my life._


	6. Vampires

_**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A LEMON!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!**_

**On that note. Sorry this has taken so long for me to get up, but with the passing of my mother and such I just haven't felt like writing. Then I hit a wall.. where Edward didn't want to talk to me to tell me his story.**

**Thanks to my Beta, JaspersDarkAngel, for reading this chapter even though she wasn't too thrilled about who was in the lemon. Okay.. I think that's all.. enjoy. It's kind of a short chapter, but gives us a glimpse into the mind of Edward and little into his past. Hope you enjoy.  
**

Chapter 6

Vampires

EDPOV

Nothing holds more interest for me than the hunt. The smell of fear drives me to drag out the hunt longer. Its like a high that cannot be matched in any other way for me. For some, the high involves sex, while with others it may be a quick kill. Every vampire is different. When I finally catch my prey, the fear that erupts into my victim as I sink my teeth into their flesh creates of feeling of pure ecstasy for me. As I'm draining my prey of their life, the fear in the blood pumps life into me, exhilarating, euphoric life.

Yeah, I'm sick. My method is fairly simple. I seek out my prey, usually a female, and I'm generally drawn to her by scent. Everyone has a smell. Some are sweet, some are musty, some are down right disgusting. Then again, a disgusting smell for me may be divine to another vampire. Then I use my charm and dashing good looks. I like to court her a little, make her trust me, because when I betray her, the fear is always stronger. Sometimes, I'll fuck her. Then finally, I'll kill her, but not before I have her running in fear, and begging for her life. Occasionally I'll take a victim without going through these steps if I just need to feed. In between human prey, I'll kill animals.

It may sound cruel, but all predators are similar. In the beginning, when I was first changed, I was trained to feed only on animals. I obliged for many years, naively thinking that this was the way to live, that vampires no longer fed on humans. I knew the legends, of how at one time we were carnivores, but to live secretly, and in peace with the fucking human race, we had to be "vegetarians." I believed all of this, for a good century, until I met Emmett and Rosalie.

I won't say I was never curious. Humans smelled so good to me, that I often fought the urge. Of course that was many years after I was changed. We (vamps) don't just smell human blood just because it's human blood. No, we can really only smell human blood if there is an open wound. Other than that, it's just a scent. However, in my years of taking human life I have learned that the scent humans give off is generally a good indicator of how their blood tastes. Alcohol can change the taste of human blood as well. This is all just knowledge I have come to realize over the years, but Emmett and Rosalie agree with me as well.

Also, each vampire's way of taking prey is different. I like the hunt. No, I _love_ the hunt. Emmett and Rosalie like attracting their prey into some sexual situation, and taking blood like that. They're swingers of sorts, vampire swingers. Of course, when I first met them, I had no idea. Since I had been raised a vegetarian vampire I was wary of Em and Rose at first. However, my curiosity always gets the best of me, and after a few weeks of secretly meeting in the forest where I hunt they had me convinced. It was with Emmett and Rosalie that I had my first taste of human blood.

I'll never forget my first night taking human blood. As vampires, Emmett and Rosalie did have a code, much like us vegetarian vampires do too. First, is to avoid suspicion. Sure, sometimes we dress in a way that may bring attention to us, but whether we dress nice, or dress common, people still look. This is why they did not stay in one area for long. They took their prey, a few people per town, and left, only to return many years later. Secondly, they never left any survivors. The process of turning a vampire could be quite tricky. They knew someone who would do it, if I ever found a consenting mate, but other than that, it was a taboo to do. If you turned the wrong person, you could end up dead.

_The night I took my first victim, I had received a letter from Rose with a time and a place. I went, as instructed. The place was a cabin, deep in the forest of Slindon, which was outside of the town of Slindon. The forest ended with the coast, so it was mostly land, and a few cottages, but it was a massive forest, so the few cottages were miles apart. It was secluded, which is why they had it. When I got there, Rose was waiting for me. She looked stunning. She wore her hair down in long, curled locks that were so excruciatingly blond, if not for her dark make-up, her face would've blended __right in. She __had smudged dark makeup around her eyes, and wore true red lipstick. I remember thinking, "movie star" like Marilyn Monroe. One of my former family had spoken of her; an ancient Earth starlet, and movie star. She was wearing a low-cut black blouse and black miniskirt, making her skin look like porcelain. _

_Their cottage was "humanly" decorated. We don't really need the comforts that humans do. We don't sleep, or eat like humans. However, this place was decorated as if a human lived here, which either meant they killed the owner, or decorated it to lure victims here. Before I could ask the question, Rose answered me, "We own it. It was my parents' place. Left it to me when they died. I never changed it, because it keeps our victims at ease if we bring them here. Plus, being so secluded, it keeps us safe. I have never seen anyone in this part of the forest."_

_I nodded as she ushered me into the living room, where we sat on the couch. I asked, "Where's Emmett?" I did not see him nor hear any commotion from anywhere in the house. _

_Rose smiled, cocking an eyebrow at me, "He's out...getting our dinner." Then she continued, "I imagine you have many questions, so I will answer what I can."_

_My questions were pointless, as Rose answered them as vaguely as she could. Especially questions pertaining to the way the night would go. Rose and Em loved excitement, and I'm sure my pain was their pleasure. The only thing she told me was that Emmett had gone out to find someone suitable for tonight, because they did not feel that the three of us should be in public together._

_Then she said, with a smirk still on her face, "Whatever happens, Edward, I just need you to go with it. Emmett and I will lead you along the way. Trust us."_

_I nodded. I was nervous, excited, and Rose's nonchalance was making it even worse. She just sat there with this smug look on her face. At this point, I was worried. I had not known them very long, and I began to wonder if I had put myself in a bad position. Also on my mind was the issue of taking a life. Like I said, I had been curious. When you can smell others natural scents, amplified due to a vampire's extraordinary senses, it is hard not to be curious. But I had been raised that humans were our friends, not our enemies, and even though I was "rebelling" towards my vegetarian family, the thought still bothered me. The girl Em brought home would be someone's family member, and would more than likely be missed._

_Rose must have registered the concern on my face, because she finally spoke, "Edward, you have to relax."_

_I sat there, stiff as a board, uncomfortable now, and grumbled, "How can I relax when I have no fucking clue what is going on?"_

_She growled, "You know, you're gonna have to grow a fucking backbone if you want to live the "carnivorous" life of a vampire." Then, she slid into my lap in one fluid motion, straddling me, and put my face in her hands, her eyes glaring into mine. "Humans are weak. We are higher on the food chain. You were raised to think that we are equal to them, maybe less. We aren't. Do you truly think that if humans knew we existed that they would just welcome us with open arms? No. They'll hunt us down, one by one. Hell, some of them do. Some of them know we exist. I've never met a hunter, but I've heard stories about them. That's not the worst of it Edward. We have a true enemy far more vicious than humans."_

_Certainly she couldn't be referring to..._

_"Werewolves."_

_I huffed, "I thought they were extinct. After Ancient Earth was abandoned?"_

_"We're still here, why wouldn't they be?"_

_"But there's no proof!"_

_"I haven't seen any in my life here, but it doesn't mean they still don't exist." She released my face, "Humans wouldn't accept us, and they'd feed us to the wolves, literally. Now, I want you to relax, because tonight is supposed to fun." She ground her hips in a circular motion over my crotch, then continued with a smile, "And I vote, that the fun starts now."_

_She leaned in, planting her cold lips on mine, her hands resting on each side of my jaw line. For a moment, I sat there, and then she stopped, pulled away, and looked at me, "What's wrong?"_

_"What's wrong? What about Emmett?" I asked, fumbling over the words. I was confused, and shocked as well._

_She rolled her eyes, "Silly, this is all part of the plan." She leaned in again._

_"Wait. You're okay with this?" I found Rose attractive, I'm pretty sure I mentioned that, but the whole ordeal was becoming a little weird for me. You could say I was sort of a prude back then._

_"Yes, I'm fine with it. I won't lie, I've been curious as to what you've been hiding in here," she chuckled, grinding against me again. "It's what Em and I do. Taking blood at the height of pleasure is our way. It's what you'll do, tonight, until you get the hang of it, and decide what you like best. 'Don't knock it till you try it,' or whatever it is they say. Now," she ran her hands down my chest slowly, then back up, "Relax, so we can have a good time."_

_Rose leaned into my neck, licking it, followed by a soft nibble. That was really all it took for me, as my soldier rose to a stiff attention. She moved her mouth to mine, kissing me with a lustful passion, her tongue sliding past my lips and mingling with mine as she continued to grind her hips into mine. My hands slid up her thighs, under the fabric of her skirt, up to her mid back She moaned softly as my hands grazed across her skin, and from what I could tell during the trip, she wasn't wearing panties._

_She stopped the kiss, and the grinding, and pulled back from me. She moved swiftly from my lap, to a kneeling position on the floor. Her hands moved between my knees, pushing them apart, and she moved between them. I put my hands in her long locks as she moved closer to me, using her hands now to unbutton my pants. She growled hungrily as she released my member from my pants, springing out hard as a rock and ready for action. _

_She didn't hesitate, as her mouth instantly covered the head of my cock, before I could even blink. I moaned, my head lying against the back of the couch, my eyes rolling back in pleasure. She sucked eagerly, and what she couldn't take in my mouth, she used her hand to wrap around the rest, to stroke me at the same pace as sucking me. She made noises of contentment as she sucked and stroked me, making me groan in pleasure. With my hands still entangled in her hair, I tightened my grip, occasionally pulling on it, sometimes as she was eagerly consuming me, and other times just to make her moan. Every time I pulled it, she moaned, and sucked me harder and faster. _

_I could feel my orgasm rising within me, but before I could cum, I heard the front door click, and in walked Emmett and the meal of the night. I suddenly got nervous, thinking that Em might kill me, but Rose didn't stop sucking me, even after Emmett spoke._

_"Looks like they got started without us. Rose, dear, couldn't help yourself could you?"_

_I was relieved that Emmett wasn't going to kill me, and thankful that even though I hadn't cum, I hadn't lost my erection either._

_The girl with him looked young, around 20 or so, which made her around our "human" age. She was blond haired, blue-eyed, and petite. She looked slightly uncomfortable to see Rose blowing me in the middle of the living room, but couldn't seem to draw her eyes away from it either. Rose stopped about then, and pulled her mouth off me with an audible popping sound as she did so. Then she stood, looking at the girl, "Hello Ana, it's nice to see you again. This is Edward."_

_I was tucking my cock back into my pants, and I gave her a sheepish nod and smile. She smiled back, her eyes sparkling now at the sight of me. I wondered how they knew Ana, but my question was answered for me moments after I thought it._

_"Ana is a new member of the swingers bar in Slingdon. Well, it's not flat out called a swingers bar, but that's what it is. We met Ana last week, and she's wanting to try it the first time with us, much like you, Edward," Emmett grinned at me, and I nodded._

_"It's all fun," Rose laughed, moving over to Ana, "Did you like what you saw?"_

_Ana nodded, her eyes still hooked into mine. Rose nudged her in my direction, and she moved towards me. I had to admit that Emmett had done a nice job. She smelled divine, like warm vanilla and sugar. _

_"Shall we move somewhere more comfortable?" Emmett asked as he slid his arm around Rose's waist. They turned after that and walked down a hallway to the door at the end, undoubtedly a bedroom. I nodded to Ana, and she nodded back in agreement and we both followed. The bedroom was large, with a huge bed against the far wall. It was more than likely custom made, because I had never seen a bed that large before. Rose and Emmett waltzed over to it, giggling playfully as they climbed upon it. We walked up next, and Ana cautiously climbed on the bed. I sat on the edge, watching them._

_Emmett reached over to Ana, and she moved closer to him. Rose jerked her head at me, and I crawled over as well. I guess there was really no way to ease Ana into what was happening at this point, and I too was still nervous. Rose grabbed me again and kissed me, pushed me over to my back, and straddled me again. I caught a glance at Ana and Emmett, and he was kissing her slowly and softly, his hands unbuttoning her top as well. She appeared to be relaxing a little as well, and her arousal began to fill the room._

_Rose ripped my shirt off, then hers. She had a wild look in her eyes that said she was about to finish what had begun in the living room. She took my hands, putting them to her supple breasts, moaning at me to massage them. I rolled her taut nipples around in my fingers, and she moaned, once again grinding her hips into mine. I let go of her breasts, and ripped off her skirt, revealing that I was right about the panties, or lack of. Then without warning, she moved off of me. She was now focusing her attention on Ana. She kissed her roughly, her tongue exploring her mouth. Ana was moaning into her mouth. Emmett had already removed her top, her breasts exposed with small pink nipples standing erect from excitement._

_I watched as Emmett removed her pants next, rendering her completely naked and at their mercy. He looked to me, and nodded toward Rose, who was on all fours, leaned over Ana, still kissing her. I didn't know what else to do, except the obvious. Emmett had already occupied himself in Ana's snatch, licking her, making her squirm. I removed my pants, tossing them to the floor and positioned myself behind Rose. She stopped kissing Ana for a moment, and looked at me. Her eyes had glazed over with lust, and she nudged her ass near me, waiting for me. I didn't wait any longer, as I plunged my hard cock into her from behind. She moaned loudly, as I thrust my full length into her over and over. She was still trying to keep her mouth on Ana's but was moaning too loud. Ana's hands were on Rose's breasts, squeezing them. She was not longer sheepish, and was muttering obscenities at Rose. Dirty talk, as they call it._

_"You like that?" Ana asked Rose. Her hand came up, striking Rose across the face. Rose cried out, and I felt her walls clench as she climaxed around me. I continued thrusting into her as she came, crying out, her hips bucking back against me. When she calmed, she turned her head to me. _

_"Your turn."_

_She pulled away from me, and I felt Emmett move away from Ana as well. They fell back onto the bed, Emmett landing on top of her, thrusting into her, continuing where I had left off. _

_Ana leaned up on her elbows, looking at me, biting her lip with a grin. She had her legs spread wide, giving me a full view of what I was about to get myself into. I thought about which way would be easiest when it came to taking her blood, and decided the usual way would be best at this time. I leaned over her, pressing my mouth into hers. Her desire was apparent as she kissed me intently. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and she used them to pull me near her. _

_She broke the kiss, looking into my eyes, "Fuck me, Edward. Now."_

_I didn't hesitate, my orgasm was painfully close, as I had been holding out for the moment. I plunged into Ana's tight, wet pussy. She released a cry that sounded primal. I wasn't gentle, as I figured there really was no point. She moaned loudly with every thrust, so loud that I had completely forgot that Rose and Em were right next to us. I brought my lips to her neck, kissing her softly. I was getting close, so close that I didn't know how much longer I could go on. Then over the moaning I heard Rose, "Follow your instincts Edward."_

_It really was easy. Ana cried out, and I felt body her tense, preparing for orgasm. I pinned her down to the bed, thrusting into her over and over, until she cried out in orgasm. Her body spasmed beneath me, and I knew it was time. With the thought of what I was about to do, I came, and as I did, I sank my teeth into Ana's neck. She was still in the height of her orgasm, and it didn't register with her what was going on, but with me, it was different. Her blood hit my mouth, warm, coppery, and tasted like, you guessed it: warm vanilla and sugar. I thought my sense before were heightened. I was wrong. Suddenly everything was brighter, the smells were richer, hearing was sharper. And suddenly, I could hear Ana screaming._

_She didn't struggle, and the screaming, it was internal. I could hear her screaming, in her mind. Then she began to struggle. She became aware of what was happening as her orgasm had subsided. I closed my eyes, keeping my mouth attached to her neck. She struggled as I drank, but with each mouthful that I swallowed, her struggles became less and less, until she didn't struggle at all, and the screaming in her head subsided._

After that night, everything for me changed. I realized exactly what taking human blood had to offer. It made me stronger, faster, and able to read the minds of humans and vampires whereas I had never been able to before. It wasn't only when I was drinking blood either, it was a permanent thing. It took me a while to drown out all the voices, to control them, but once I did, it was amazing. I understood now why my family didn't want us to take human blood. It all made sense to me. So now, a handful of times a month, I take lives. I take lives, and I enjoy doing it. Humans are pathetic and weak, but they give me what I need to survive. Em and Rose do as well. Though we don't usually partake with each other anymore. I prefer to hunt my prey, get to know them a little, then use that to torment them. It's gives me the best experience. And now, my prey is Bella. Oh the things I have in store for her.


	7. The Date

**Hooray! Chapter 7. I have given my beta a break, though I did re-read this chapter twice, so hopefully there are few mistakes. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy, and I hope that you continue to read.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight or anything, just enjoy playing with the characters.. **

Chapter 7

The Date

BPOV

Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett left after they had discussed with Alice what time they should meet up so she could show them around. With the weather outside still shitty as ever, it was appearing that we may after all be staying another night or two. The problem with the roads on this planet is they are made from gravel, and while they don't get as muddy as plain dirty roads, too much traffic on them can still tear them up and leave them a muddy mess that can't be traveled on. Then you have to put down more gravel, and the cycle continues. So the roads would be closed. If it stopped raining in the next couple of hours, it might be possible for us to leave tomorrow afternoon. The only other way anyone could get anywhere, would be to walk.

I sat at the bar with Alice, and watched Jasper as he was putting away more glasses. It seemed like that was all he ever did; put away glasses. I felt so bad about what had happened last night, so I apologized again. However, Jasper wouldn't have it. Instead, he just told me to really give Jake a chance. That he wasn't a bad guy, and that he really liked me. I was beginning to see that. It just baffled me that someone like him was interested in me. But I couldn't help how I felt, the growing attraction to Jake that I was so desperately trying to avoid, and I wondered if that's how he was feeling too. There was something there, that had never been present in any of my other relationships.

Even though I was terribly hung over, the nervousness of being alone with Jacob on a date was worse. Alice was sitting next to me, chattering away about how 'hot' Edward and Emmett were. Then she babbled on about how she had wished that Emmett was available, because Edward was very obviously interested in me. I had no fucking interest in him. He was creepy and weird. Then again, this whole weekend had proven to be weird enough for me.

Finally, on time, I heard Jake coming down the stairs. He really did have a sound to the way he walked. It wasn't loud either. Well not overwhelmingly loud for a man his size. He stepped very lightly, almost stealthily, like a predator.

Jake took my breath away as he stepped off the last step and walked towards me with a soft smile on his face. This was bad for me. Every time I set my eyes on him, I felt like the world was frozen. He was so beautiful, so perfect, that it almost felt like my heart was breaking just looking at him. There had to be something _seriously _wrong with him. To be given good looks like that, there had to be something wrong. At that moment, I didn't care though. I was in awe of him, and all my nervousness vanished. He was taking me on a date _Me._ When there was a plethora of available women in this town this weekend.

He stood before me, "You look very nice, Bella. Beautiful."

_Beautiful. _I smiled softly, suddenly feeling nervous again, "You clean up well too, Jacob. Very handsome."

He gave a nod as he offered his elbow, "Are you ready?"

I returned the nod as I slipped off the barstool and hooked my arm into the crease of his elbow. It was warm, and felt like home to be hooked so close to him. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

_Of course it is._ We exited the tavern, the rain now just a sporadic drizzle, and began walking. I didn't know what to say, but thankfully, Jake initiated the conversation.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, his eyes full of concern for my well being.

I gave a slight nod, "Yeah, my head is still hurting a little, but I ate a piece of bread to help with the nausea. It did. And I'm so very sorry about last night. And about this morning too."

"No, no. You don't need to apologize to me. You had every right to be angry. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable in any way. I just thought that I would help Alice out. She was much more drunk than I was. I wanted to make sure you didn't get sick in your sleep."

"I appreciate it," I said. I did. Just wish it hadn't come to that at all.

"I'm also sorry about exposing myself to you. I have a sick sense of humor sometimes."

"And no shame apparently."

He laughed that infectious laugh. The laugh that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I smiled at this. He was a little immature, but even so, he was actually more mature than most guys I knew who were in their mid 20s. And it wasn't so much immaturity as it was his personality to be a little silly and fun loving.

"Life's too short to have any shame about anything. Or to worry about anything other than yourself. If you're not happy, then what's the point? You know?"

I knew, but no one had ever really expressed it to me. With every word that came out of Jacob's mouth, I was seeing a different side to him, and I was liking him more; falling harder. It was just so easy. And with the fact that I felt like I was drawn to him, it made it all easier. "I do know. All to well. I do have a problem putting myself before others. Or weighing too heavily on what other people think about me." I shrugged, "It's difficult not to sometimes. I do admire people who don't give a shit about what others think."

"Well, stick with me long enough and you won't have that problem. I don't believe in other people getting you down. And you shouldn't either."

I didn't really know what to say to that. I knew what he said was true. There was a silence for a while as we continued walking ahead on the little wooden sidewalks that connected each building in Sparrow's Grove.

"So, you don't live here, right?" I asked, changing the subject.

"No, I don't. I live over in Aziz. It's a little town about 2 days from here. I grew up there. What about you?"

Jake seemed generally interested in getting to know as much about me as possible. It was nice for a change, for a guy to talk to me like a normal person, and not some piece of meat. "I grew up in Bartonville; middle class, not much to say really. I've always liked to draw and paint, so staying there to go to school was a good idea. Although after I finish, I would like to travel Iribo; paint some landscapes, you know, find the beauty within this planet."

He nodded. Our arms were still linked, as we continued our little stroll. I wondered where we were headed. Then I hoped that we would get there soon, because my stomach was growling. Apparently, it was loud, because Jake chuckled, "Tell your stomach we're almost there."

We passed a few more shops before I finally saw where we must be headed. It was a little cafe. It reminded me of pictures I had seen in a book on Parisian architecture. It was one building, with red canopies on the front, which said "Carla's Cafe." Outside there were tables, which were unseated due to the weather, each with a large outdoor umbrella, also in the same red as the canopy.

It was so quaint, and so, _perfect. _Then again, Sparrow's Grove didn't have a ton of places to eat. Except of course what was being sold down at the festival, which was not really festive at all today with the weather. We approached the door, and Jake released my arm so he could open it for me. I stepped into the cafe, greeted by a host, who went for menus, but stopped when he saw Jake. He gave Jake a smirk, and an acknowledged nod before giving a slight bow, "This way, Miss."

I gave Jake a slightly confused he planned all this today?

He smiled, as he placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me forward. I couldn't help but smile. I hadn't been treated to a date this nice in a long time. We walked through a row of tables, and through a door into a small room, which contained one table. In the center was a vase, once again containing cherry blossoms and lavender. He led me to my seat, and held the chair out for me. I sat, as he helped me push in, then he took the seat across from me.

I couldn't take it anymore, I had to know, "Did you do all this, this morning?"

He nodded, "I did. Why?"

I shrugged, "I was just wondering. It was very sweet of you to go to all this trouble, but I would have been fine with much less."

He shook his head, "You don't deserve less. Hell, you deserve more than this."

I disagreed, "No, I'm an easy girl to please. Alice, though I love her very much, would need more than this. But this is almost too nice for me." I gave him an encouraging smile. "It was very nice of you to set this all up."

"I'm just glad you said yes." I hadn't really looked him in the eyes much since we left the inn, mostly because as we walked side by side to this cafe, it wasn't really easy to do so. Now, we sat across from each other, and as he spoke the last line, I could see the light in his eyes intensify, as if I had made his day, by saying yes.

A small smile crept across my lips, "Well, after all I had put you through, with getting sick, then freaking out on you, I kind of owed it to you."

"You don't owe me anything Bella," he huffed. "I wanted you to _want_ to come. Not because you felt obligated."

"I..." _What am I supposed to say? _I was at a loss for words. I couldn't say, _"Yeah Jake, I think I'm falling for you even though I've known you for about a day."_ I averted my eyes quickly, embarrassed. Thankfully, at that exact moment, the waiter brought out a salad. He sat them in front of us on the table, then stepped away. I still had no response for his accusation, so I did the best I could. "I'm not used to guys being so nice to me. Well, not in the way you have been." I still had my head down, and the words kind of fell out in a mumble.

"Think of yourself. You deserve to be happy. You didn't have to come, if you only thought you owed it to me."

"I didn't come just because of that. I came because I wanted to, but honestly Jake, we live apart. How would this even work?"

"Let's not think that far ahead. Let's enjoy what's happening now."

I finally picked up my fork, and started into my salad. It was one of the best I had ever had. I can't even tell you what it was, but it was good. We ate in silence for a while, finishing our salads before anything else was said.

"So, what do you do?" I didn't know what else to ask.

"I'll end up in the family business more than likely. Blacksmithing. And I do some carpentry."

_A handy-man. Dammit, that's sexy._ I suddenly had a vision of Jacob, building the house we would live in, while a few children ran around my feet, giggling and laughing. A girl, that favored him, and a boy that favored me. I smiled.

"Something funny, Bella?"

_Ahh, shit._ I blushed furiously, "No.. no.. was just thinking about something."

"Care to indulge?"

I decided to not even respond to that.

JKPOV

Sitting across from this goddess was really getting to me. All I wanted to do was take her into my arms, and chase away all her fears. However, my over assertiveness had kicked me in the ass earlier. I couldn't tell if I was making a good impression or not, but occasionally I would see in her eyes, the same thing I felt.

When I told her about my trade, what I did, she seemed to drift off into her own thoughts. Whatever they were, they made her smile; a smile so sweet, and innocent, that it made my stomach flutter. Of course when I asked her about it, she avoided the subject.

They brought out our next round of food. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but it was some sort of pasta, and it was delicious. We dug in as soon as they sat the plates in front of us. My mind was running fast, trying to think of more things to say, but they were all things that should not have been said in that exact moment. We ate in mostly silence, occasionally I would ask a question, she would answer, or the other way around.

When we finished eating, the waiter brought out the final plate; dessert. It was a chocolate brownie with ice cream. One plate: two spoons.

"Ugh," she groaned, "So full, Jake. I don't know if I can eat that."

I could eat all day, my metabolism was fast as shit. "Well, at least take one bite. She makes the best brownies."

Bella took a deep breath, then gave me a smile as she took the spoon and took a bite. Her eyes lit up with approval as she nodded. After she finished, she swallowed, and spoke, "Wow! That's excellent."

I chuckled, taking another bite, "Told you."

She took a few more bites, before finally setting her spoon down. I finished what was left, and then the waiter took the plate away. I leaned against the back of my chair, stretching. Our lunch was almost over, and even though I had nothing else planned, I hoped that she would want to spend a little more time together.

"You ready?" I asked her.

"Yeah, where to now?"

_Oh great._ "Well, honestly, I didn't have anything else planned. But we can do anything you want. Maybe walk down to the piers again? Look at some stuff before it rains again?" I stood from my chair, she did as well. She walked in front of me, heading towards the front door when she stopped, turned, and held her hand out to me with a soft smile.

I reached out, putting my hand in hers, the electricity once again going off in tingles. I smiled back, as I leaned over her and pushed the door open ahead of her. She exited, with me right behind her, hands still locked. It looked worse outside now; darker, and the air was thick with humidity. We stepped onto the sidewalks again, walking back the way we came. We would have to get near the inn to go down to the piers if we decided to go.

A few minutes of silence was finally broken when Bella stopped, turned to me, and said, "Thanks again for everything, Jake. You have been so nice to me. At first I wasn't sure what your intentions were; but I see now that they're not what I originally thought. And, well, frankly, I like you."

I smiled, but I didn't move. I didn't want to fuck up my chances again, so I didn't kiss her, like I wanted to in that moment. She had just said she liked me, and that was good enough for me.

"You're very welcome. Can I ask you a question?"

She cocked her head to the side, "Yeah. What's up?"

"Can I call you Bells? I've just wanted to call you that for a little while. I won't, if you don't want me to, or if it makes you uncomfortable."

A small smile crept up the corners of her mouth. "Sure." That was all she said before we continued walking. She seemed to finally be opening up a little more. Women are a strange breed. A nice guy pays attention to them, they get all uncomfortable and insecure. With Bella, it did make her cute, but over time it could get tiresome. If I spent any time with her beyond this, I would do my best to make her feel that she never had to feel insecure around me, or any one else for that matter.

_What do you mean, "If I spent any time with her beyond this?" You will see her after she leave, unless she flat out tells you to stay the hell away._

_Sure, sure._

Then, out of nowhere, a loud cacophony of thunder roared from the sky, causing Bella to nearly jump out of her skin. I laughed softly, tugging her closer to me.

"Scared?" I asked her.

"Just startled me."

Then I felt a large raindrop on my head. Then another. I looked up just in time to see the bottom literally fall out of the sky in the form of massive raindrops. Bella squealed, then laughed as she tugged at my hand, and began running down the sidewalk.

I ran with her, laughing as well, possibly harder at her sudden silliness at running away from the rain. I pulled ahead of her, now dragging her along with me, looking for a place to duck into until the rain subsided. Finally, I saw what appeared to be a gap between buildings, and headed straight for it. "Over here!" I said, pulling her off the walkway into a small crevice that was cut into the building. The rain was still coming down hard, a sliding of the ledge, which had created a waterfall of rain. However, we were far enough into the crevice that we were no longer getting wet; which really didn't matter, because we were soaked. The space was small; we stood facing each other, with barely any more room than that, and we were standing very close. There was very little room, and it was cramped, but it gave us every reason to be extremely close, and I liked that.

_I hope she's not claustrophobic._

Even soaking wet, she looked amazing. All the work that had been put into her hair and make-up was destroyed, well mostly her hair, as her make-up had been done very modestly. I loved that. She didn't need massive amounts of make-up, because she was so beautiful without it.

The rain streaked from her hair down across her face. Her laughter was subsiding, and she was now just chuckling, and the best smile I had seen from her yet crossed her face. I smiled back, bringing my hands to her face, trying to wipe the rain droplets away. Her eyes had locked into mine with an intensity that I knew I was matching. Just when I thought our breathing was going to return to normal, my heart rate sped up from being in such a close proximity to her.

I still held her face in my hands, though I had quit wiping the rain away. We just stood there, staring into each other's eyes, while the rain poured from the sky, and the rumbling of thunder still eminent.

Bella put her hands on my wet shirt, and pulled me closer, our faces just inches apart.

She spoke, barely above a whisper in a breathless voice, "Kiss me, Jake."

Where her boldness came from, I'll never know, but I didn't wait for her to ask me twice. I closed the distance between our lips, thankful for not having to wait any longer.

BPOV

Don't ask me what happened, because I can't tell you. One minute we're walking down the sidewalk, and I tell Jake that I do like him, and that I appreciate the date. Of course I'm also thinking that once I leave, I won't see him again, so I really shouldn't get attached, but then, it starts pouring. And all I can think to do is run, and so we do, and we laugh, and it's like something came over me. The rain came down so hard and so fast, that I was soaked almost instantly, and it filled me with this almost childish laughter, and juvenile happiness.

He pulled ahead and then pulled us into a crevice into some building. We were laughing, and he was so close. I could feel the heat radiating off of him. I had noticed this already, that his body was so warm, almost inhumanly warm, but it didn't bother me, nothing about this man bothered me. When he went to wipe away the water from my face, it happened. I let my guard down, and I felt myself, watched myself fall in love with him.

My head was swirling as I gazed into his eyes, my soul opening with the confession to myself of how I really felt about him. And of course, if anything else could have made it worse, the way he smelled definitely did. That musky woodsy fresh rain scent. It's hard to explain, except that it smelled so fucking delicious all I wanted to do was wrap myself in it.

That's when I grabbed him by the shirt, unable to contain myself any longer. The whisper that escaped me was almost pained; desperate, "Kiss me, Jake."

He didn't hesitate as his lips barreled into mine with an eager intensity, as if he had been having trouble containing himself. He should have; us being so close in that tiny confined space. Emotion exploded into me with his lips pressed against mine; the most amazing feeling ever. I was open, I was his, and it was spectacular. He held my face tighter in his hands, his lips parting, and his teeth gripping my bottom lip gently.

I couldn't help it, as a moan escaped my mouth. The sound wouldn't travel far, as the rain still showered down around us, drowning out any noise around us for at least 50 feet. He chuckled, releasing my bottom lip, and kissing me again, this time softer. I wanted to deepen the kiss, to feel his tongue dance with mine. I parted my mouth slightly, gliding my tongue out, hoping he would grant me entrance.

His mouth opened slightly as well, and I felt his tongue reach out to touch mine. It felt so good, his tongue running over mine passionately, causing the tingles shooting through me to reignite more radiantly than before. There was no fight for dominance, just equal fervor. All I wanted in that moment was him, for the rest of my life.

I won't lie, the tingles weren't just love tingles, there was some lust thrown in there. I was starting to wish I had worn that dress, because all I wanted right now was to hike my leg against the opposite wall and have Jake, thrust himself into me, and ravage me. I could take the risk of taking my pants off, but they were so wet from the rain, I'd never get them back on. So I just succumbed to kissing, knowing that I could have my chance with him later

Finally, he released his hands from my face, and then his lips from mine. I didn't want him to stop, so I kept my hands gripped to his shirt. His hands found my waist and he pressed me into the wall, his chest crushing against mine.

Jake moved his head to the side of my face, his nose nuzzling into my neck, and slowly started kissing it. The first one near my jaw line, then a little lower. At the tender part of my neck, near my jugular he bit me. It wasn't hard enough to break skin, but enough to having me groaning. I hiked one leg up and tucked it around his waist, drawing him in, my crotch grinding against his.

He growled, pressing himself back against me, only to reveal that he was just as excited as I was. I didn't need to imagine what was beneath those pants because I could feel every inch of it, and I had visualized enough to put the two images together. And just when I thought I couldn't bare any more, he stopped.

"Wh..what?"

He smiled, "Nothing, just that it stopped raining."

I looked out, and sure enough, it had.

"So?"

"People are gonna start watching. Plus, I don't want to do this here. Well, I _do._ But it wouldn't be smart."

I groaned.

He titled my head up with his finger, "I don't want it to be like that. Don't get me wrong, it's hot, but it's not what I would imagine for our first time."

"What would you imagine?"

"That's a surprise too."

I did my best to put on the most impressive pouty face I could, but it didn't work. He just laughed.

"Then what now?"

"Oh, I don't know. The piers maybe?" He shrugged. How had he suddenly gone from super turned on, to nothing? I thought I was gonna explode. He was right though; with the rain stopped, it wouldn't have been a good idea. He kissed my forehead, then my lips softly, careful not to linger, and stepped out of the crevice, grabbing my hand as I followed.

It was still cloudy, but not nearly as bad as it had been earlier. I walked as close to Jake as I could; he let go of my hand, and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Let's go back to the inn first and change," Jake suggested to me. It was a great idea, but Alice was going to freak when she saw that the hair and make-up she spent so much time on was destroyed. She'd get over it once I told her about the kiss though.

The rest of the walk to the inn was in a comfortable silence. When we entered, Jazz was behind the bar, and it was empty, except for Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett, who were seated at a table, all huddled together talking. Well, that is until the weirdest thing happened.

All at once, the three of them looked up from their seats at Jake and I, and I swear, I saw their eyes turn red. And Jake, next to me, tensed his body so tight I was afraid he would shatter if I moved an inch. He let out a low growl that sounded more primal and wolf-like than human.

_What the FUCK was going on?_


	8. Complications of the Supernatural Kind

**WARNING: This chapter contains material not suited for readers under 18. It is rated MA. You have been warned. :) Though I'm sure some of you won't listen.**

**I hate it when I post a chapter, and forget to put in my author's notes or anything. Totally lame. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Wish I did.**

**Thanks to Courthale for reading over this chapter for me. Look her up, she's got some great stories. Thanks hun!!**

**Okay, hope you enjoy. Leave me a review and let me know how you guys think things are coming along.**

Chapter 8

Complications of the Supernatural Kind

EPOV

"It's perfect Rose. They aren't from here. When they head back to wherever the fuck their from, we can snatch them. No one will realize their missing for a little while. By then we'll be long gone." I was pleading with Rose about taking both Bella and Alice. Bella for me; Alice for them. Now that we were on a new continent, we didn't have the cottage, so doing things separately was a little more difficult. We had both tried adjusting to each other's way of hunting, but Rose was being a bitch about this one. She couldn't understand why I wanted the 'plain' girl. But Bella wasn't plain. She was far from it. And her scent; she smelled like paradise. The only thing I could think about was sinking my fangs into her, ripping her throat out, and savoring her blood like it was my last supper. However I felt if I was gonna take Bella, they should take Alice. Of course whoever drove their carriage would have to go too. No survivors.

"It's whatever, Edward. I don't like the idea. Something strange is going on here. Can't you tell? Or are you just so blinded by the hunt you can't tell?" Rose crossed her arms across her chest. "I think we should move on to the next town, honestly."

We were in our room at the Sparrow's Grove Inn and Tavern. We had been arguing for a while. Emmett was stretched out across the bed, legs crossed at the ankles, and arms crossed at the chest. He hadn't put in an ounce of thought since the argument had started.

I shifted my weight to him, my eyes meeting him, "Well Em? What do you think?" Rose twisted her body to glare at Emmett. He was so pussy whipped he would probably agree to whatever she said. He looked at Rose cautiously before speaking, "I don't know, Edward. This girl, Bella, something is just not right with her. Not to mention, she didn't have the slightest interest in you, whatsoever. That's weird. Humans are naturally drawn to us. Alice was. Bella wasn't. That doesn't strike you as odd?"

It did. And it only made me want her more. I knew she was thinking about someone else, and that was very obviously affecting my influence on her. Even more compelling, was the fact that I couldn't read her mind at all at this moment. Usually I can read human minds even if they are miles away, but with her, I couldn't any more. Not since she left to go on her "prior engagement" which I assumed must have been a date. It was fascinating and it made me want her more.

Em continued, "Well, I just don't think its a good idea, and it's not because Rose said so. The whole thing just feels off. We never should have left."

"Coulda, shoulda, woulda," I growled, frustrated. "We left. We're here. I'm hungry. AND. I. WANT. BELLA."

"Fine," Rose huffed, "We'll do it, just this once. But I swear Edward if we get any trouble from this little endeavor of yours, that's it. We play by _our_ rules until further notice. Agreed?"

I nodded, just to get her off my back. I loved Rosalie. She was like a sister to me, but sometimes she could be a real cunt. She continued on her rant, "We also do this right. They live in the next town over. It takes about a day to get there, so we need to get them about halfway through."

"I know how it works, Rose. I overheard her and Alice talking about leaving tomorrow afternoon if possible, which means they will be traveling during the night. It will be the best time to take them."

She didn't say anything after that. Emmett just sat on the bed, relaxed with a smug look on his face. I think he gets off by watching Rose and I fight. It's kind of sickening.

I continued, "I know. I'm being reckless, stupid, and all that. It's out of character for me, blah blah fucking blah." I was waving my hands around in the air sarcastically. I hated being chastised by people. I always have, and I always will. "I don't have the time to do things the way they should be done. So what do you want me to do? You can do whatever you please with that little pixie bitch. I don't care. We kill the the unimportant ones, you take Alice, and I take Bella. Then we can meet up somewhere later or something. Live a little. We always do things so fucking carefully. We're new here, we'll be gone before anyone realizes anything. And then we can go back to being careful." Yeah, it wasn't my most thought out plan. I was being reckless, but I didn't care. Bella had suddenly become my obsession the moment I laid eyes on her.

We lounged around for a while longer; I studied a map of the continent we were on, observing the topography. Eventually we might need a home base of sorts. Then again, maybe we'd go back to the other place. _No. You'll never go back._ We wouldn't. Not unless we could find a way to make peace with my vegetarian family. When they found out that I had started including human blood in my diet, they freaked. They threatened Rose, Em, and I; told us to get far away, or they would kill us. It was time for us to move on anyways. New places, new people, fresh meat; all of these things had led us to a new life that we so desperately thought we wanted.

We descended back down to the tavern a little later and sat at the same table, where we proceeded to discuss things further. The bar boy named Jasper came over to us. He spoke so strangely, so... different than anyone I had ever met.

"Would ya'll like anything?" He asked, his eyes sparkling at Rose.

_Ugh, that accent is terrible._ We all shook our head, "No thanks." I was polite, even though I never wanted to be. "Can I ask you though, what is that awful fucking smell?" Ever since we had entered this little shit hole place it smelled terrible; like wet dog, but worse. Maybe like wet dog that had rolled around it week old dead fish? I don't know. Whatever it was, it was rancid.

Jasper shrugged, and scratched his head, "You know. You're not the first person to ask me that today. I don't smell anything though."

Rose mumbled through gritted teeth, in a voice that only Em and I could hear, "That's because you've lived your whole life with that horrible smell."

I kicked her her from under the table. Even though Jasper couldn't hear her, I felt she needed to be kicked.

It was obvious that Jasper's scent repulsed Rose. His smell was neutral to me; and possibly to Em, though I couldn't tell. But Rose was having a hard time containing herself over how disgusted she was with this human. Finally, he left to tend do his duties at the bar. Rose began bitching again about we should just leave. She rarely seemed this uncomfortable, but I couldn't truly decide if it was genuine, or if she was playing face. Her thoughts seemed honest, but Rose could be a great actress.

I could smell Bella before she reached the Inn, it was sweet, even through the stench that clung in the air, and also the smell of arousal, which piqued my interest at what she may have been doing prior to coming back to the Inn. It was a few minutes later that I heard two sets of footsteps nearing the entrance, one set being hers, and the other; I was unsure. As the steps hit the wooden floors, echoing off the walls of the establishment, Em and Rose looked up. I didn't want to be obvious, but I had my back to the door. However, when I saw the expressions that came across Em and Rose's faces, I turned as well. I saw Bella first. Gorgeous. Delicious. And then I saw _him. _All of this happened fairly quickly. We all stood; as if preparing for an attack; glaring at the legend we never thought we would have to face. Bella looked confused, I didn't have to be able to read her mind to know that. _He_ looked just as shocked and enraged as we were.

Motherfucking werewolf.

JKPOV

It was taking everything I could not to shift. I was visibly twitching, I was sure of it. It was a stare down between me and the bloodsuckers. Bella was looking at me, then to them, then back at me.

_Relax, Jake. She can't find out like this. No one can find out like this. They wouldn't dare pull something would they? In public?_

I wasn't sure. I wasn't going to chance it. I exhaled slowly, trying to find a way out of this fucking mess without anyone innocent getting hurt. _Think. Think. Think._

Bella spoke, "Jake? Edward? What's going on?"

_Why me? Why now? This is so bad._

I did my best to play it off, hoping that these leeches wouldn't start trouble here. Sure, if they wanted a fight we could take it elsewhere; so long as it didn't involve Bella, or any of the other humans. "Edward," I started, "Long time no see." My words were slow, calculating. I was trying to play off that we _knew_ each other; but perhaps we weren't on friendly terms. There would be no other way to explain the awkwardness later to Bella; that is if we got out of this mess at all.

"Wait," Bella said, releasing her arm from my grasp and stepping aside to look at Edward, and then back at me, "You two _know_ each other?"

"Yes," Edward lied, "Long time friends, you could say."

The whole time me eyes drove into Edward's, the animosity more than apparent between us. I touched Bella's shoulder, "Bella. Go on up and get changed. I'm gonna catch up with Edward and his friends here, and I'll come get you when I'm ready. If that's okay?"

My eyes didn't leave his, but I saw Bella nod before she gave a slight wave to the leech, and headed upstairs. I hated being so forceful towards Bella, knowing that it could very well cause problems for me later, but I needed her out of the way. I needed her safe.

"Let's take a walk," I growled, jerking my head in direction of the door. I walked out backwards; keeping my eyes on the three of them. I couldn't take all three of them. I could try, but I would more than likely fail.

We didn't go far; just around the side of the building. I couldn't risk going into the woods where they would have the full advantage. As soon as we were out of sight I spoke, "Why are you here?"

Edward's attitude became cockier, "We're visiting."

I didn't let him continue. Hell, I don't even know why I asked him why they were here. They needed to leave. Now. "You should leave."

The blond leech cackled mockingly. The large one smirked, and Edward's shit eating grin spread wider, "I can't believe I'm staring down my first mutt. Tell me mongrel, are there more of you?"

I growled, "Yes." I wanted to shift so badly and rip all three of them to shreds, but I knew it wasn't a smart thing to do. "Like I said, you should leave."

Cocky Douche-ward held his hands up, laughing defensively, "Fair enough. We don't want trouble. We'll leave town now." The three of them began to back up slowly.

"Don't ever come back to this town, or let me see you anywhere near it. Go back to where you came from."

He nodded again, the sarcasm searing every word that rolled off his tongue, "Yeah, all we need is a _war_ on our hands."

I watched them head towards the town's exit road that would lead to Bartonville; hoping that I'd never see them again. Somehow, I felt that I wouldn't be so lucky.

I walked back into the tavern to see Jasper pretending to be busy. Once he saw me, the questions began.

"Who was that Jake? What did they want? How do you know them?"

I sighed, "It's a long story, Jazz. They weren't the best crowd to hang with, we'll put it that way. They're gone now. They shouldn't be coming back." It seemed to be enough to appease Jasper, but I didn't think I would be so lucky with Bella. I headed upstairs to my room where I changed into the other pants I had bought and just a plain black shirt. I dried my hair with a towel, brushed my teeth then left my room to head up to Bella's. When I got there, I got nervous thinking about how I was going to have to lie to Bella about what had really happened downstairs. If she ever found out; which eventually she would if we continued to see each other, I don't think it would be a good thing for our relationship. However, if our relationship did progress, I would tell her before she realized that it wasn't true.

I knocked twice, and waited. The door was answered by Alice, who was as bubbly as ever, "Jake! Come in! Bella is in the bathroom."

I nodded, following her in. I noticed that their suitcases were on the beds, open, and mostly packed. "You guys leaving tonight?"

Alice shrugged, "I doubt it, but we figured we would get packed just in case. Though honestly," she leaned in, whispering to me, "I'm hoping we won't leave until tomorrow night, for your sake." Smiling, she went back to her suitcase.

I found a spot at the end of the bed, which I guessed was Bella's, and waited. Moments later she exited the bathroom. She smiled at me, and looked like she wasn't upset. "Hi." She said sheepishly, like she was shy about seeing me.

"Hey."

"So, tell me..."

_Dammit._

"How you know Edward?"

I took a deep breath and said the only thing I could really think of, "Bella, I promise that one day I _will_ tell you about it. Right now, I don't feel like talking about it. They left town, and I really just want to spend the rest of the day with you before you have to go." It wasn't a complete lie. I _would_ tell her. Just not now.

To my surprise she nodded, "Okay."

_Okay? That was it? I'm sure this will come back to bite me in the ass later._

I continued, "I will tell you about it one day Bells. Just not today."

"Then what's the plan?" She asked, changing the subject.

_I totally love this girl. She's too damn perfect._

I smiled, "We can still go down to the pier if you want. I think the rain is done for now." It was still cloudy out, but it seemed to be clearing. "Or whatever you want to do."

"That sounds fine. You ready?"

I stood from the bed, holding my arm out to her, "After you, my lady."

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering along the pier, perusing shops, and chatting. She didn't bring up the leeches again, though I knew she was thinking about it.

As the sun began to descend behind the horizon, we headed down on of the piers to sit at the end. Sunsets on Iribo are magnificent; hues from every color. Blues, greens, pinks, purples, yellows, and many more smeared across the sky like oil paints on a canvas, intensified by the glare of the setting sun through the lines of clouds on the horizon.

We didn't say anything for a while, just watched as the vibrant colors in the sky slowly faded to dusk. I had my arm planted around her waist her head rested on my shoulder.

"Mmm." Her first words in a while.

I squeezed her gently, "Hmm?"

"So peaceful," she said nuzzling into me more, "Makes me not want ever go home."

"Then maybe you shouldn't," I responded, nudging her playfully.

"Yeah, that'd be something wouldn't it?" I could hear the pain in her voice, which upset me. I'd spend spent the last almost two days trying to win her over, and now that I had, she was hurting because of it.

I kissed the top of her head, and then nuzzled her hair, inhaling the scent. I would miss that when she left, along with everything else.

"I'll come see you," I blurted out, then paused, "If you want me to, that is."

"I would. Very much so," she said. Removing her head from my shoulder, bringing her gaze to mine.

_She is so beautiful._

I kissed her forehead, and then used my free hand to tilt her head to kiss her lips softly. I loved the way her lips felt on mine; soft and succulent. I grabbed her bottom lip between my teeth and nibbled it gently, followed by sucking on it as well. Her heartbeat sped up as she moaned softly into my mouth.

I pulled away, my eyes reconnecting with hers, "I'll do whatever it takes, Bella. I just want you to know that."

She nodded in agreement, "Me too."

We sat for a few more minutes, till the sun was well behind the horizon and the stars were shining through the clouds. Finally we began to make our way back to the Inn. As we walked up the steps, I stopped her before we entered, "I need you to make me a promise."

She turned to face me, and although she looked a little weary she responded, "Anything."

"If per chance the lee... I mean Edward comes around, promise me you'll stay away from him. He's not someone you want to consort with." I could read her expression, "No, I'm not jealous. He's.." I sighed, "I don't think it'd be safe."

"Umm, sure Jake. In all honesty, he creeped me out anyways. His name should be Creepward. Plus, it's not like he knows where I live.

"I'm sure he doesn't, but please Bells. Just in case, okay?"

"Tell me why," she demanded. It wasn't too forceful, but it was a little. I knew she would want an explanation, so I had a lie prepared.

_I don't want to do this..._

But I had to. At least for now. "Edward's parents were murdered when we were young. He's a couple of years older than me. Anyways, supposedly he did it, but no one could prove it. Then he moved to live with his Aunt and Uncle or something. He used to pick on me a lot; before I was this strapping male I am today." I gave her a cheesy grin, "But seriously, he's always been a bully; and he'd do anything to get you on his side."

I knew that the bloodsuckers weren't far yet; I could still smell them, so it was possible they were eavesdropping. I don't think I would be so lucky that they would actually go away. And there was the way he looked at Bella when we entered the tavern; like she was his next meal.

Once again, Bella amazed me with her calmness. She seemed satisfied enough with the answer, "I promise." With that, we went inside.

Alice was now behind the bar with Jasper, helping him catch up. Apparently they had been busy in the hours that Bella and I were gone. I pulled a seat out at the bar for Bella, and then sat next to her.

Alice and Jazz both spoke, almost simultaneously, "Aww, it's the love birds!"

I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of a response, but Bella laughed, "What's it to you?" She then reached over to me, grabbed me by the shirt, and kissed me softly and passionately.

"Awwww!" Alice squealed, her voice reaching a pitch so high that my ears were ringing.

I heard Jasper laugh slightly, then turn away. I was pretty sure I was blushing, which can be difficult to make me do, but Bella caught me off guard.

I heard Bella's stomach rumble, realizing that I hadn't eaten since lunch and neither had she. "Jasper, can I use your kitchen bro? I'm starving. I'm sure Bella is too."

"Yeah man. Help yourself."

_Wrong thing to tell a werewolf. I could eat for days._

I stood from the chair, and headed around the bar towards the kitchen, Bella following behind me.

Another random tidbit about me is that I really enjoy cooking. It relaxes me.

Bella and I created ourselves an easy meal, laughing together as we spent our time wisely. I learned that she too was a good cook, and enjoyed it as well. As we ate we talked about different recipes we had made; sharing tips and secrets.

"One day, you'll have to let me cook for you," I said.

"Only if I can cook for you," she countered.

"Deal."

After we ate, we cleaned up our mess, making sure we left the kitchen just as we had found it. We headed back into the tavern, where Alice and Jasper were chatting. She spoke up when she saw us, "Bella! The coach driver came by. He says we can leave tomorrow afternoon or evening; whichever we prefer."

Bella shrugged, "Towards the evening might be better. Then we can sleep. Less awake time. Unless you'd rather leave sooner..." she trailed off.

"Nah. We'll miss a day of classes, but no big deal," Alice shrugged nonchalantly.

"So, what's the agenda tonight?" Jasper asked.

"No drinking," Bella groaned. "I'm _still_ hungover."

Alice giggled devilishly, "Aww, you sure?"

She nodded, "Yes, very. Actually I'm pretty tired. I think I'm gonna crash early."

I was a little sad, hoping she'd want to stay up. She did look exhausted though. Plus, there was always tomorrow. "I'll walk you up."

She smiled. I saw Alice smirk and Jasper raise a curious eyebrow at us, but I ignored them.

BPOV

I was so tired after eating the dinner Jake and I made together. We ascended the stairs to my floor, reaching my door. I unlocked it and opened it.

I put a hand to Jake's chest, "Wait here a moment." I slipped in to find my sketch book and pencil. I scribbled a note for Alice and threw it on her bed, then grabbed a change of clothes and my sketchbook and went back to the door.

Jake eyed me, those dark eyes smiling mischievously. "Just what do you think you're doing?" He asked me.

"Coming to your room. If that's okay with you?"

_Is he going to say no?_

"Of course it is, but I have to warn you; I prefer to sleep naked. And tonight I might not be so sensitive to your needs." His grin was playful and warm.

The thought made my stomach knot and my nether regions tense in excitement. My face must have given it away because he cocked his head to the side and chuckled.

I wanted to kiss him, but I refrained. Instead, I tucked my arm into his and we headed back downstairs to his room. He opened up his door and held it, allowing me to enter before him. I sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard. He then moved from the door, over to the other side of the bed, sitting next to me.

"Long day," I said. It had been. I had gone in a day and a half from fighting the attraction that was so instantaneous between Jake and I, to accepting it and being stupid for him. I really felt in love. It felt _real_. Now all I could think about was spending every moment I could with him. I had brought my sketchbook for a reason. I slid towards the end of the bed.

"I want to sketch you. May I?"

He nodded, "I'd be honored."

"Get comfortable." I grabbed my sketchbook and began to get comfortable as well. I opened up my sketchbook and grabbed the pencil hoping it would stay sharp enough for me to finish the drawing. When I looked up, I was surprised to see that Jake had gotten "comfortable." It appeared as though he was wearing nothing except for the sheet, which covered him below the belly button, the finely toned V of his obliques taunting me. Of course, wandering my eyes back up on caused me more grief. His stomach and chest were perfectly chiseled. When my gaze reached his face, he was grinning, though there was a hint of sincerity in the amused look.

"Too comfortable?" He asked, "Can you still draw me?"

I tried to cover my distractedness with a snicker, "Yeah. I can handle it."

His grin closed into a smirk as he tucked his hands behind his head, using them as a support for his head against the headboard.

I began to sketch his features, concentrating on making them as close as possible. I wanted to keep this with me, for when we were apart. I sketched as far down as the beginning of the sheet before I stopped. I smiled. "Done."

"That was fast. May I see?" He moved his arms from behind his head as I nodded, moving over to him. I sat close to him, one of his arms instantly draping over my shoulders as I turned the book around for him to see. He took it with his free hand, observing it. Then he smiled.

"It's nice. Except I think you made me appear much hotter than I really am."

I chuckled, "Nah, I think it barely does you justice. However, I prefer the real thing." I placed my hand on his chest, trickling my fingers up and down slowly as I looked at him.

_What's going on with you Bella? It's like you can't stop yourself._

_I can't..._

"Oh really?" He asked, a grin spreading across his face.

_Don't chicken out._

_Shut up._

_Well, how far will you let it go?_

_All the way..._

_A little easy aren't we?_

_Dammit, stop it internal thought!!_

"Yeah." I didn't care about my internal doubts. I was crazy about Jacob Black. Fucking head over heels. I moved shifting my weight over him so that one knee was on each side of him and I was sitting on his lap.

His hands moved to tighten around my waist. I put my hands on his face.

_He's so fucking warm..._

"You're not running a fever are you?"

I had noticed earlier that his body was...unusually hot.

He shook his head, "No. I.. um.. run a little toastier than most. It's no big deal. I'm fine. Promise."

I would have interrogated him further, but his lips found my neck, and it proved to distract me. Fire. It erupted under my skin, spreading as his mouth kissed my neck. I groaned, tilting my head back, exposing my throat to him. He bit me, and I went limp, my panties now ruined by just that one action.

I heard him groan as well, a sort of growl, that was so fucking sexy I moaned again.

As his mouth made its way north, I was able to regain enough composure to put my hands on either side of his neck. When I tilted my head back down, the look in his eyes would have made my knees buckle, had I been standing. It was so primal, yet so... endearing.

His hands slid under my shirt, the fire now boiling the blood beneath my skin. I was beginning to think that I couldn't handle this. I'd never been so aroused in my life; and he wasn't really doing anything special.

_It's because he's special. Dummy._

_I know._

I lifted my arms; a sign that I wanted this fucking shirt off of me. He obliged, removing it so fast I thought it was being ripped off. He slid a finger in between my breasts where the clasp of my bra was, and then looked to me.

I didn't need to give him permission, but it was nice he felt like he needed to take it slow. I pressed my lips against his, parting them to run my tongue along his bottom lip. He flicked his finger, releasing the clip, my breasts springing out from their confinements.

Jake's tongue met mine, while his hands moved to slide the straps off my shoulders, and remove the bra completely. He took his time. His hands moved along my back, touching every inch, then around to my stomach, around my breasts and over my shoulders. Everywhere _except_ my breasts, which was killing me. My nipples were so hard, that I bet they could cut glass. Not to mention, this whole time his mouth was hot on mine, making me so intoxicated with love, lust, and passion that I was losing concentration.

Finally, he grazed my breasts with his hands, and I involuntarily bucked my hips into his. I hadn't realized how turned on he was until that moment. My hips met with the thick, rock hard shaft I was sitting on.

_How is he controlling himself?_

His hands still hadn't made real contact with my breasts, and it was making my whole body ache. And now, even though I hadn't check, I was pretty sure the sheets that stood between my crotch and his were completely soaked.

Again, his hands moved away from my breasts and into my hair. He pulled it, forcing me to pull my head back, where he once against put his mouth on my neck, biting me harder this time, and drawing me in so that our chests were pressed together.

_I'm gonna die. I'm going to explode..._

Next thing I knew, I was being gripped by the waist, mouth still attached to my neck, and flipped onto my back.

He finally pulled back, looking down at me, "You okay?" I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

_That bastard! He's doing this on purpose!_

I groaned, "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Mmm," he mused, leaning down close to my ear, "Tell me. What can I do to make it better?"

His voice was so thick and husky in my ear, full of sex, dripping with demand for a response. My eyes rolled into the back of my head.

I couldn't make a coherent thought anymore. I couldn't make the words come out.

_Damn you, Jacob Black._

JKPOV

_Okay, so I'm being a little mean. Watching her squirm is really fucking sexy though._

"Tell me. What can I do to make it better?"

The little gasp that escaped her mouth was so sexy. I won't lie. More than anything I wanted to tear her pants off sheath myself in her. But I wasn't going to. Not yet. I wanted her to know that I respected her. I'd only go so far tonight. Even if it was at the expense of me getting blue balls.

I kissed her neck softly. I kept myself propped up with my left arm while I moved my right hand to cup one of her breasts.

Her hips thrust against me again as they had earlier. The scent of her arousal was fucking insane. I had to give her some release, before I couldn't control myself anymore either.

When I had rolled her over, I kept her knees around me, so I was perfectly positioned between her thighs. I used my knees behind the backs of her thighs to move her legs up, and wider apart. I pressed my crotch against hers.

She moaned.

"How much do you love these pants?" I asked her, glancing down to them.

She shrugged.

I smirked as I placed myself in a kneeling position, the tops of my knees still pressing against the backs of her thighs. I gripped the left side of her pants at the side stitch and pulled. They effortlessly ripped about down to her knees, and then I did the other side.

Her eyes were wide. Undoubtedly wondering how I had done it so easily. I then pulled them from her body, ripping them clean off and throwing them to the side. I growled, this time uncontrollably as I glanced down her almost naked form. Then I stopped at her panties, which were black, lacy, sheer; and of course, soaked.

I hooked my thumbs into the sides of her panties, gently tugging them over her ass, down her legs, knees, and finally over her ankles. Then I knelt at the foot of her, between her ankles, and took her form in since last night I had so respectfully refrained.

_Breathtaking._

She gazed up at me, the embarrassment apparent in the color of her cheeks. However, she kept herself from covering her body, like I could tell she wanted to.

"Bells, you're gorgeous."

She laughed, but it wasn't uncomfortable like I had expected. I inched closer to her, so that I could lean down and kiss her softly for reassurance. Then I whispered into her ear, "Never doubt that you aren't beautiful."

I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, then began to linger. I took my time making my way back down, paying careful attention to her. I covered my one of her perfect breasts with my mouth and the other with my hand. She gasped, her hands moving to my hair as she gripped it tightly.

Then she stopped, "Jake? Is your hair longer?"

_Fuck. _

"Yeah, it grows _really_ fast," I laughed trying to distract her from it. I have to cut my hair often to keep it looking the same length.

I kissed lower, running my lips over her abdomen, continuing downward. She was getting anxious; her hands still in my hair, and she began to push my head lower with more force.

_Fine..._

I gave her what she wanted, driving my tongue in one hard motion over her clit. Her hips lifted forcefully, and I pushed her back down, one hand on each thigh, spreading her open. She couldn't move, so each swipe of my tongue over her delicate clit was more than likely excruciatingly pleasurable.

"Ja..Ja.. Oh.. My.." She couldn't form words anymore. Good.

I wrapped my mouth around the hard little nub now, sucking hard. Then abruptly, I pulled back.

"You were saying?" I asked, a grin on my face.

"Where'd you learn that?!" She didn't look at me, she was too busy being exasperated.

"That's not even the best of what I can do." It was a cocky remark, I know. I would have to say it was true though.

I lowered my head back down, this time slowly rolling my tongue over her. She whimpered beneath me, small gasps and moans filling the room. My tongue slipped lower, sliding over her wet opening. She groaned louder.

"Jake..."

Lick.

"I want you."

"Mmm," I said. Hearing her say those words was like heaven to me. However, I was sticking to my guns. She could have anything else tonight, but _that_ was waiting.

"Please..."

I moved one of my fingers near her entrance as she shivered with the anticipation of what was to come.

"Tell me how much you want it, Bells."

She was trying desperately to move, but I had a hold on her that she wouldn't get out of.

"So much. Want. It. Bad."

She still had one hand in my hair, and the other was gripping the blanket on the bed. She pulled my hair again, and I obliged. As I slid a finger inside of her hand released my hair and went to the blanket with the other one.

She was so warm, wet, and tight. I brought my mouth around her clit again, working it while my finger played inside of her. She was moaning so loudly that I knew she was going to come undone at any moment.

I slid in a second finger, her words now coming out in curses as I reached my fingers upwards, toying with that sweet spot.

Within moments both of her hands were back in my hair, holding me in place as she ground her hips, working the friction of my mouth on her to her advantage. Then I felt her walls clench around my fingers, slowly at first, but then building in intensity until I knew that she was peaking. She let out a moan that shook the walls as she came violently around my fingers. Her hands pulled so hard, she was pulling out hair, but I kept up what I was doing.

Her knees began to draw upwards, locking around my upper body tightly, her thighs clenching me tightly. She shook, her toes curled, and she called my name like no other woman ever had. If I didn't know any better, I would successfully conclude that I had literally just 'rocked her world'.

She stayed clenched around me for a few minutes, even after her climax had subsided. There's nothing like coming so hard that you can't even move. Finally when she relaxed, her legs slowly unfolding around me, and I was free. Her hands, which had slowly drifted down my arms, tugged gently, asking me to move upward.

I did, laying next to her and wrapping my arms around her tightly. I kissed her forehead, pulling her close to my chest. We laid there, I don't know how long, her cheek pressed to my chest, her arm around my side. At one point, I thought that she had fallen asleep, but finally she spoke.

"Wow." That was all she said.

I chuckled softly, squeezing her lightly, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she whispered in response, "Wow."

"Mmm, my pleasure, baby doll." I smiled internally. _Baby doll. My sweet Bella baby doll._

She moved, her head looking up so that her eyes could meet mine, "And you? What can I do?"

I shook my head, "Not necessary."

A look of bewilderment crossed her face, mixed with feelings of doubt and fear. I quickly spoke to usher those thoughts away, "No. I would gladly accept any form of retaliation you see fit, but I am not requiring it, by any means. In fact, I would prefer to wait." _Okay, not really, but dammit I'm trying to make a point._

She nodded slightly, "You sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure you're tired. Get some rest."

She wiggled up between my arms to lay her head on the pillow next to mine. One of her hands came to rest on my cheek, where she rubbed against the stubble there. Then, she closed in, placing her lips on mine softly. When she pulled away, she gazed into my eyes, "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course. Anything."

"I'm falling in love with you." The fact that she was in love with me didn't surprise me, but the fact she was admitting it did. It was not something I had expected from her this soon. I knew I loved her. From the moment I saw her I knew.

I smiled softly, "From the moment I saw you."


	9. The Waterfall

**Hope everyone had a great holiday!! I can't believe that it is almost 2010. So, I just wanted to say I'm oh so sorry that it has taken me so long to get this posted. I started back with school, and of course the holidays have been hectic. I HOPE that chapter 9 will not take as long. Also, I've got another story that I've started, as well as another one shot.. So keep an eye out for those.**

**Next: I no longer have a beta (well I haven't for the last two chapters I think) She's preggers! So I know she needs her rest :) Which means I'm beta-ing things mostly on my own. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I kind of had to speed through it, mostly because we're about to get into the nitty gritty of things, and I just wanted to get done with this chapter.**

**Thanks for all the support.**

**I Own Nothing. Stephenie Meyer has that honor.  
**

Chapter 9

The Waterfall

BPOV

I slept better than I ever had. When I awoke, the sun was peeking through the curtains as if to say, "Good morning Bella! Welcome to the first day of your new life!" I stretched, suddenly wishing I hadn't as the soreness ripped through me. It wasn't excruciating, but it was enough to remind me of the amazing night Jake and I had spent together.

I rolled over, expecting to find him laying next to me, but instead I found a note, and a single flower that looked like it had been pulled directly from the ground somewhere instead of bought from a shop. It made me smile, knowing that he had picked it himself, just for me.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and picked up the note to read. My heart fluttered and warmed as I read the words.

**Bells,**

**You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you. I had to run a few errands, but I'll be back soon. You mean the world to me Bells.**

**All my love,**

**Your Jacob.**

_Mmm. My Jacob._ I rolled out of bed and headed straight for the shower. As I ran the water, I looked over myself in the mirror. I bruised so easily. My upper half wasn't too bad, but my thighs were bruised all to hell from Jake holding me down. _Totally worth it._

Once the water was just right for me, I stepped in. It felt nice against my skin, and the warmth reminded me of Jacob's warmth; cozy and inviting. I washed my hair first, then lathered my body. When I finished, I turned off the water, opened the curtain, and stepped out. I grabbed the nearest towel, which was huge, and wrapped it around my body. I then wrapped my hair in another towel.

I found a toothbrush still in it's packaging by the sink. There was another, out of it's packaging which I assumed was Jake's, so I opened the other one. As I was brushing, I heard the click of the door opening.

Almost instantly, there was a knock on the door followed by the most handsome voice to ever touch my ears, "Bells, you in there?"

I spit toothpaste into the sink and responded, "Yeah, door's open."

The door opened, and Jacob's reflection appeared behind me in the mirror. I smiled at him as I rinsed my toothbrush and then my mouth, shutting the water off before turning to face him.

Today when I looked at him, I loved him even more. I was falling so hard for this gorgeous god-like man before me.

He grinned at me, "I see you've made yourself at home."

I blushed profusely, "Yeah, sorry."

"No..no.. I like it that you're comfortable enough to do so." He stepped towards me, his arms encircling my waist and pulling me tight to him.

My breath caught in my throat as he kissed me. I wasn't sure I would ever stop tingling every time we touched, but then again, I hoped I never stopped feeling that sensation. When he released me, he asked if I had slept well.

"Best in a long time."

He leaned down, brushing his nose against mine a few times, administering 'Eskimo' kisses, as they were called on Earth. Again, my heart fluttered.

We were then interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Wonder who that is," he said as he moved away to answer it. I peeked out, listening for an inclination of who it could be.

The high pitched super speed chatter was apparent: Alice. I then heard Jacob laugh as he said, "Come in Alice. She's in the bathroom."

I saw Alice, her expression screaming at me, saying, "You will tell me everything!"

"Hi Bella!," she twittered excitedly. "I thought you might need these." She held up a bag and shoved it through the door at me.

I had clothes, but only the pajamas and the ones I wore yesterday. I had not thought to bring fresh ones. "Thanks Alice, I do need these. Let me get dressed and I'll be right out." I shut the door and set the bag on the sink. The first item I pulled out was underwear; a matching, black-lace bra and panties set with the tag still on them. Another Alice gift no doubt.

Usually I would complain, calling these items ridiculous, but today something felt different about them. Even though I knew I was already accepted for who I was, I wanted to and did feel as sexy as the items I was slipping into. Next in the bag was a pair of black pants that hung low on my hips and clung tightly to my ass like a second skin. The shirt was three quartered sleeved, deep gray, and low cut in the front. With the bra, my cleavage looked a-maz-ing.

I towel dried my hair, allowing it to dry into its natural wave. I pulled it back half-way, leaving a few tendrils to fall around my temples. Lastly, I threw on a little make-up; eye-liner, mascara, and lip gloss. I returned the items to the bag and carried the bag out of the room with me.

Alice sat on the edge of the bed, and Jake leaned against the wall across from the bed. He looked star struck as I entered which made me feel so hot.

"Wow Bella! You look gorgeous," Alice giggled.

"Yeah, thanks to you and your miracle bag." I sat the bag down and moved over to Jacob, who held his arm out as I approached. It took its rightful place around my waist.

His nose went into my hair right by my ear. As he drew in a breath he whispered, "Stunning."

Alice cleared her throat, "So Bella, I just came to say that our coach is supposed to leave around dark, maybe a little after, but we're supposed to meet at the same place we got dropped off right before dusk."

I nodded.

Then Jake spoke, "How about we meet about an hour before and we can grab one last dinner before you guys go. Then Jazz and I can walk you there and see you off."

His grip tightened on me, a sign of how much he didn't want to see me leave. I knew the feeling.

Alice stood, "Sounds good. I'll let Jazz know. I'll let you two...be alone." She grinned as she opened the door and stepped out.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Jake's arms were lifting me. Even though the bed was only a few feet away, he carried me. He sat with me in his lap, his hand running into my hair, pulling it away to expose my neck. He nuzzled the skin, creating fire again with his touch. However, before it got too involved, he stopped.

My response was an instant groan, "Why do you do that to me?"

"You think its easy to control myself? All I want right now is to tear off your clothes and make sweet ravaging love to you."

I whimpered at those words, "What's stopping you?" It surely wasn't because he wasn't turned on, because I was sitting on something that was telling me different.

He sighed, "It's not the right time. Last night was perfect, but it wasn't the right moment for that. Plus, I know how quick you'll split as soon as I give you some of this awesome lovin'" His tone was kidding of course. Then he went back to being serious as he looked into my eyes, "It'll happen. When the time is right."

It would have to do, even if I didn't agree.

JKPOV

I didn't sleep much, only because I was so entranced by Bella. She had nestled into me perfectly, like a puzzle piece snapping into place right where she should be. When I knew she was out for good, I kissed her softly, and then slipped quietly from the bed and wrapped the blankets firmly around her.

I slipped outside quickly, grabbing a flower from a small patch near the building and made my way back up. I placed the flower on my pillow along with a note in case she woke up before I returned. I didn't want to leave at all, but I needed to shift and talk to the pack. The arrival of the bloodsuckers was something they needed to know. Even now I could still smell their stench, though not as potent as it had been yesterday or the day before.

Once I reached a safe place in the forest, I stripped and shifted, glad to see I wasn't alone.

The guys started chattering instantly.

"QUIET!" I howled. They shut up.

I mentally replayed everything; the date, coming back to the inn, all the way up to the point where I shut the door to my room before Bella and mine's encounter.

Quil was first, "VAMPIRES? Are you joking?"

Then Embry, "Of course he isn't."

In my haste, I hadn't realized that there was a new voice in my head. A new pack member. I barely knew him, but that would change now.

"Welcome Seth," I said, giving him the formal invitation.

While Quil and Embry were both 18 like me, Seth was 16. It worried me that someone so young had to be brought into this.

"I'm not that young," he said, countering my thoughts.

"Well, regardless, we've got a fight ahead of us I think. They have claimed to have left, but I don't think they have. I need you guys to have someone in form at all times. If anything happens I will let you know, and I will give whoever is on duty at that time instructions on how to proceed.

They all agreed. Then Quil broke in again, "Are we going to kill them?"

"Would I like to? Fuck yes. I asked them to leave town, whether they actually have, I'm not sure. Once I see Bella off tonight, we'll decide what to do then."

Even though I could tell that both Quil and Embry were dying to tease me, they refrained.

"I'll check in soon. Until then, I've got things to do."

I went on a hunt to clear my mind, and made it back into town well after the sun came up. The skies were clear and sunny, which was very much how I felt. Blissful was a good word too. When I reached the door I could smell fresh water and soap, which led me to believe Bella had been showering. The way she smelled to me was most powerful after she had a shower and when she was aroused. I loved it.

-

I knew how badly Bella wanted to push things to the next level, and I desperately wanted to as well, but my problem was this: I wanted Bella to know the truth about me before it got there. I didn't know how she would take it, whether she would run or stay, but I wanted her to know. She needed to know. My intentions with her were simple; I was choosing her as my mate. She needed to accept me as hers, before I would seal the deal.

While the concept of mating for life is sound, she had to make the choice on her own. I wasn't sure when I was going to tell her, but it had to be soon. If anything, I would visit her in the weeks to come after speaking with my pack and gaining their trust and approval. Well, not so much their approval, but it would help. Telling people our secret could be a tricky thing. Bella knowing would put her in a lot of danger.

"It'll happen. When the time is right." I pressed my forehead into hers as I said this, and she pouted. It broke my heart to restrain from her; when the only thing I wanted to do was place my final claim on her like the alpha male I was.

She sighed, "Well, I don't have to like it."

I laughed, "No you don't. But you have to trust me that it's the right thing to do. After all, what is it they say? Absence makes the heart grow fonder or something?"

"Or the horny, hornier," she smirked, grinding her ass down on the massive bulge in my pants.

I groaned slightly. This woman was driving me mad. I recovered quickly, "So, there's somewhere I'd like to take you today, if you feel up to a short hike?" I hoped she did. I wanted her to see this place I had found.

I loved to hike and explore the outdoors. Roaming the wild was so natural to me, obviously, that I sometimes preferred it over civilization.

She chuckled, music to my ears, "Guess I'm a little overdressed for a hike. I'll do anything, as long as it involves spending time with you."

"Just throw on some good walking shoes," I said, motioning to her shoes by the door. "It's not that far of a walk. We have to stop by the kitchen on the way out too."

We left the room and headed downstairs. Jasper wasn't at the bar today, instead an older couple was there. I recognized them to be Jasper and Alice's parents. I had only met them a handful of times, but they were warm and caring people. They spent a lot of time traveling which was why they weren't around that much.

As I approached the bar, Jillian, their mother, greeted us, "Well hello, Jacob. How have you been? And who is this gorgeous young lady attached to your arm?"

I smiled as I reached across the bar to squeeze her hand, "I'm well Jill. This is Bella, Alice's friend."

Her eyes lit up with excitement, "Oh yes, Bella dear, how nice to meet you." She shook Bella's hand, and then called to the father, Samuel, who was loading bottles of alcohol behind the bar, "Samuel, come meet Bella."

"Just a second Jill," he said as he finished putting away the last few bottles. Alice and Jasper favored their mother much more than their father, but I could definitely see the resemblance in both. He walked towards us, extending a hand to Bella first, "So nice to meet you Bella. Alice has been writing to us about you for a while now." Then he shook my hand, "Jacob, always the ladies' man. Good to see you too."

I chucked, "Not anymore, Samuel. This one has tamed my wild heart." I clutched my chest dramatically.

"Well, takes a special kind of woman to tame any man," he smiled warmly at his wife, then back to us.

I slipped my hand into Bella's before I continued, "Jill, I've got something in the kitchen. Jasper said it was in the fridge. Then we're gonna head out for a short hike."

"Oh dear," Jill said, "Do be careful. Someone spotted a very large wolf out there a few days ago."

I stiffened. _Had someone seen me? _I responded as casually as I could, "We will. We aren't going too far."

She nodded, "I hope not. Let me grab your basket from the kitchen."

I chuckled, guessing that Jasper had told her about the basket.

When she returned with the basket, she handed it to me with another urge of caution. I could see a small smile creep across Bella's face as I pulled her gently with me, "Let's go."

We left the Inn and headed into the woods to the North, the road that led to my hometown of Aziz. We followed the path for a few minutes before I stopped and gestured into the woods, "We have to go that way."

"You sure this is a good idea, Jake? What if we get lost, or worse; find the wolf?"

Internally, I was laughing uncontrollably, "Trust me, Bells."

"I do, but I mean, a wolf is a wolf..."

I sighed, pulling her to face me, "I promise we'll be okay. The chances of us seeing a wolf are slim, and if we did, the chances of it attacking us are even slimmer." _No. We should be more worried about whether or not those bloodsucking leeches are still around._

She weighed what I said for a minute before finally nodding, "Okay. Let's go."

I smiled, "That's my girl."

We began walking through the brush, most of which had been cleared by me earlier this morning.

"So where are we going?" She asked as she stumbled over a branch. I caught her before she fell, steadying her.

"You'll see," I responded, "We're almost there now. Can you close your eyes the rest of the way? I'll carry you."

She turned, "You're serious?"

"Mmhmm." I reached down and scooped her up into my arms. As we neared closer, the sound of the waterfall could be heard, which I knew would somewhat give away what we were about to see, but this is why I had asked her to close her eyes. As we broke through the tree line and I carried her over the threshold into the area like she was my bride, I sighed. This place was amazing.

First off, it was a grassy clearing for about ten yards ahead and about five yards wide. The grass was so green that it looked fake. This was obviously a place that few people had come to. A few times when I had come out here, I had only seen a few animals. Where the grass ended was where the real beauty began. There was a pond, and the water was a clear, striking teal that went on for several yards where you could see fish swimming, and other pond life moving beneath surface, until it met the rock wall where the waterfall descended. It wasn't a big waterfall, but rather a few small areas that had smaller falls tumbling over the edge. The rocks were covered with a moss and leafy greens; and above the waterfall cliff, the forest continued, brighter, and greener than where we stood. It was a place that truly defined the beauty of nature.

I walked with Bella until we were about 3 yards from the water's edge. "Still closed. I'll tell you when to open them."

She smiled, "I can hear a waterfall."

I set her down carefully, facing me. Then I covered her eyes with one of my hands as I turned her to face the water ahead of her.

"Ready?" I asked.

She nodded.

I began to remove my hand, "Okay, open."

A small gasp escaped her as she attempted to take in the sight before her, "Wow. Jake, this is, surreal. I've never seen anything this beautiful."

I smiled, "I'm glad you like it. I do a lot of hiking, and I came across this a couple of months ago. I haven't showed or told anyone else. There are so many amazing places here Bella. I hope that maybe sometime, we could take a trip together."

She chuckled nervously, "I'm so clumsy, Jake. You'd be having to catch me every ten steps."

I smiled, "If that's what it takes."

"It probably would be. Regardless, I would love to explore some unknown trek of land with you."

"It's a good thing you're not as girly as Alice; getting you into some hiking boots should be easy." I moved away from her, picnic basket in hand. To our left was a blanket that I had set out this morning. "Hope you're hungry."

She nodded, "Indeed I am."

We both sat on the blanket and ate the lunch I had prepared. We spent the afternoon at the waterfall, chatting, cuddling, and making out. Time seemed irrelevant when we were together. However, before we knew it, it was time to head back to meet Alice and Jasper for dinner. Then we would be parting ways.

I picked up the basket, including the blanket and we made our way back to the Inn, hand in hand. When we returned, Alice and Jasper were in the tavern; laughing and carrying on.

Jasper waved as we entered, "Hey bro! Ya'll are cuttin' it close don't ya think?"

"We lost track of time," I replied.

"Talking," Bella clarified.

Alice giggled her usual pixie giggle as she slid off the stool, "Yeah. _Talking._ I'm famished! Can we go eat please!"

"Wait," Bella interrupted, "Where's our luggage?"

"Oh, Jasper and I took it down to the carriage already."

"I could have helped," I said.

Jasper shrugged, "It was no biggie. Now let's go. I'm starved too."

We ate at Carla's Cafe which seemed kind of fitting I supposed. It was hard to believe that just yesterday, Bella and I were here, and I was trying to win her heart. It was even harder to believe that I had succeeded, which only reaffirmed what I felt; that Bella was the one. My one. My soul mate.

On the walk to Carla's Cafe, we passed the doorway where our second "first" kiss had taken place. Bella squeezed my hand tightly, and I squeezed back.

Dinner was difficult. We tried to hold conversations with Jasper and Alice but they were just as concerned with saying their goodbyes as we were.

When dinner had finally ended, we headed toward the carriage house. The carriage was there as we approached, and I felt my heart sink in my chest. The diver stood outside, prepping the two horses for the journey.

Alice and Jasper were walking a few feet ahead of us, so I stopped Bella, pulling her into a warm hug, my lips finding hers, pressing into a soft kiss. When we released each other, I could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Hey," I said softly, cupping her face in my hands, "Don't be sad. This is just the beginning for us baby doll. I promise.

Quietly, almost timidly, she choked out, "I love you, Jacob."

I smiled as her words warmed me even more than I ever thought possible, "And I love you, Bella." We approached the open door to the carriage, her grip tightening on me even more.

Alice hugged Jasper one final time, then made her way to me; her tiny arms encircling my waist, "It was nice meeting you, Jake. Hope to see you soon."

I smiled, "Don't worry. You will."

Alice climbed into the carriage and made herself comfortable. I helped Bella climb into the carriage as well. She turned to face me as she sat, leaning in for a final kiss. When that one ended, I smiled, "I'll see you really soon. Okay?"

She nodded, "I better."

I closed the door, latching it tight, and blew a kiss at her. The driver kicked the horses into gear and the carriage slowly started to ride away. My heart ached as it moved away from me. For a moment, Bella hung her head out the window, blowing me one last kiss. I smiled, and waved.

I heard Jasper chuckle, "Hell of a weekend, huh?"

"Yeah," I responded. _But not nearly long enough._

We both continued to watch until the carriage disappeared down the darkening path of the forest. I sighed heavily as I began to turn away and head back to the Inn when something caught my eye.

At first I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me, but as I focused intently, I saw it again; movement about halfway up the tree line. Three figures scaling quickly, so quickly the human eye would never be able to see them. And those three figures were following the carriage into the forest.


	10. The Beginning Of The End

**SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!! lol I've managed to update a little sooner this time, though I am afraid to say that it might be a while after this (Though I promise to do my best) I'm taking two major exams; one in February and one in March and planning a baby shower for my friend on top of that. **

**I want to thank everyone for reading. Things begin to change from here on out, but I promise if you just bear with me, it'll all be worth it!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight. Stephenie Meyer has that honor.**

**Also; I do a little updating here and there on Twitter so you can get my link from my profile page. It is also possible that I may move my stories to a different site since my rating here is technically more MA than just M. And I'm done babbling! ENJOY!  
**

Chapter 10

The Beginning of the End

JKPOV

I didn't need a closer look to know what those three figures were. It made sense as to why I still smelled them. _Fucking bloodsuckers._

I had to act fast. I couldn't be sure, but I had a pretty good feeling that the girls were in danger. More worrisome; my Bella was in danger.

Jasper patted me on the back, "I'm sure you're already planning a trip, aren't ya?"

I nodded, trying to appear calm to Jazz. The last thing I needed was him to suspect that something was wrong. "Yeah. Very soon actually. I have to head back home for a few days, then I will head that way to see her."

"Oh, I see how it is," he joked, punching me in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry. I'll swing through here before I go. That way, I can take a message to Alice if you need me to." We walked back to the Inn, "The next carriage won't leave until morning, but I'm gonna crash early. I didn't sleep much last night."

"Hah. I bet you didn't"

I shrugged off the insinuation, "Maybe I'll tell you about it someday." We exchanged a quick hug. The kind brothers give each other. "I'll see you soon, man."

"See ya."

I wanted more than anything to be honest with Jasper about what was going on, but how would I approach something like that? Not to mention it would violate everything I had been taught about keeping what I am a secret. I headed upstairs, and slipped into my room. I grabbed the few items I had, tucking them into a small bag, and then slipped back out the door. I went downstairs, taking the back way so that I would not be seen. I then slipped out the back door.

I didn't head towards the woods via the road, but rather just headed for them right out the back door. As soon as I was covered by the trees, I stripped down and shifted in record time. I began running through the woods behind Sparrow Grove, towards the opposite side of town where the carriage was heading.

Seth was in my head as I was running.

"_Hey Jake, everything..."_

I interrupted him, _"I need you to get to Quil and Embry. Get their asses shifted now. I need you to stay in Aziz, unless I tell you otherwise."_

"_I understand."_

"_Good."_

Almost instantly my thoughts were empty, and I continued to race towards the scent of the vampires, and Bella and Alice. It was not long before I could see the carriage, bumbling slowly down the path. The vampires were still scaling the trees, following the carriage, and watching it.

I hoped that my scent on Bella and Alice would throw them off, and lead them to believe that I was not following them, but only time would tell.

I couldn't attack yet, I needed probable cause. Just because they were following here, did not mean anything. Not to mention, I had never taken on a vampire, much less three. I would need my backup.

It was almost an hour before Quil and Embry both entered my mind.

"_Where the fuck have you guys been?" _I asked, trying to keep my cool.

"_Sorry Jake," _Quil said, _"We went down to the cliffs." _ The cliffs is where we generally go to blow of some steam. A form of recreation if you will.

I sighed. I didn't have time to argue or be angry. I needed to stay focused, _"I need you guys to head this way." _

"_Already on our way," _Embry said. _ "How long would you guess it'll take us?"_

"_By the time you get here, I'm guessing four hours. I would say that at most, but I'm not really sure. As fast as you can guys." _

It was silent for a while in our minds as we all had one mission. The leeches were still following the carriage; their distance from it remaining constant. I was trying to figure out their next move. We were about 30 miles out of Sparrow Grove now. The only light was coming from the solar lights that hung from the carriage, which only lit up the ground about eight feet ahead of the carriage as it moved. The driver was whistling a tune that I was not familiar with.

Suddenly Seth chimed in our heads, _"How's everything going?"_

"_The same,"_ I grumbled. I really hated this; not knowing what was going on. I knew that there was no way I would leave until I knew Bella and Alice were safe. It had only been about an hour since Quil and Embry had started heading this way, which meant they still had a couple of hours to go at least, and I was getting anxious.

"_What's wrong Jake?" _Embry was the best at understanding my emotions even when I never said anything.

"_Something is just not right,"_ I said. It would only be a matter of time before I found out how true those words were.

BPOV

Alice and I sat back in the carriage as it pulled away after I had waved my final goodbye and kiss to Jacob. I suddenly felt so void of every emotion possible. I was _empty._ I let out a heavy sigh and glanced back out the window as we entered the woods. The sun was pretty much set, so the forest was even darker and more ominous. I truly hated traveling at night, because of the unknown I guess. It was always unsettling for me.

I glanced at Alice who sat across from me, her arms held tightly over her chest, and a smirk on her face. She was waiting; waiting for me to tell her everything. "I'm not gonna get away with not talking am I?"

She grinned, shaking her head, "Nope."

I sighed, "I'll tell you some, but honestly Alice, I'd like to keep some of it to myself."

She huffed, "But Bella! I tell _you_ everything."

"You do. Sometimes I wish you didn't."

"Well, how about you just tell me the basics. I'll respect that you don't want to tell me everything. Maybe one day you will."

I smiled, "Yes, _maybe_ one day I will." I did my best to recount what all had happened, without having to give away too much detail. Before Jake, I would have given her every juicy detail. Now, the juicy gossip did not appeal to me; more than likely because of the way I felt about him, and the need to maintain the beauty of what was becoming us. When I was finished talking, Alice just stared at me for a minute.

"Ha," she said.

"What?"

"Well, I have to say that it definitely is not as interesting when you're in love with someone," she smiled playfully. "I wish I felt so deeply about someone that I didn't feel the need to gossip about it."

I snorted out a laugh, "Alice, I'm pretty sure even when you do find love; you'll still feel the need to gossip about it."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I find it very amusing that when we got here you wanted nothing to do with him really. Now, you're all smitten."

I rolled my eyes, "Truthfully Alice, I think it would have happened no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. He just slowed it down by that kiss. Soul mate or not; you don't run up and kiss a stranger." I smiled though, thinking about that kiss; where it started. There was no fighting fate. No fighting what was inevitable.

"Well, when's he coming to see you?"

I shrugged, "I'm not sure. He said 'soon.' I'm hoping it means this weekend." I pulled back the small curtain covering the carriage window, looking outside. The moon was not quite full, but I could see the reflection of it's luminescence off some of the dampened leaves. I sighed heavily. If I saw Jacob tomorrow or a week from now, it would still feel like a lifetime to me. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered how this would ever work.

_Stop doing this to yourself Bella._

_I can't help it. How will it work? I guess I could quit school._

_It will all work out._

_Maybe..._

_It will._

_Stupid internal thought._ I leaned my head against the side frame by the window and closed my eyes. Maybe if I slept for a while it would take away from the extreme discomfort I was experiencing by being separated from him. Alice had become quiet too and before I knew it, I was asleep.

- - -

"Bella," Alice's voice was barely above a whisper. "Bella, wake up."

I stirred slightly, "What Alice?"

"Shh," she replied urgently, "I think something's wrong. We're not moving anymore."

I grumbled, "He probably just stopped to feed the horses."

"No," Alice whispered again, shaking me, "The guiding lights are out. It's pitch black out. I'm scared Bella."

I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I wasn't sure how long we'd been asleep. An hour? Two? I pulled back the curtain to peer out. We were stopped, and it appeared as though the guiding lights on the front of the carriage were out.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Alice," I reassured her. "Maybe the light went out and he is trying to fix it. Want me to poke my head out and ask?"

She nodded. Alice amused me sometimes. Although I had to agree with her, it sure was creepy that we were stopped and that it was pitch black outside. Luckily our eyes were adjusted to the dark for the most part. I reached for the handle, preparing to open it when a sound made me stop.

Alice and I stiffened in our seats.

I placed a finger over my lips; not that I needed to tell her to be quiet. We listened intently.

The silence was deafening. Nothing. I slowly let out a breath, releasing the tension in the air. Perhaps we were just hearing things.

I moved slowly for the handle again; my fingers making contact with the cold etched metal. I took a deep breath, and slowly pushed down the handle. It made a soft click as the latch unhooked. I could see Alice's eyes widen as I began to nudge the door open.

I cracked the door open an inch, trying to peek out. It was too dark. I inched it open a little more. I whispered into the inky black night, "Hello?"

The force that responded caused the carriage door to slam shut in my face and send me flying backwards into the opposite side of the carriage. I hit my head hard against the wall. Alice shrieked in terror and I groaned, rubbing my head in a daze. Then she was kneeling in front of me saying, "Bella? Are you okay?"

I groaned again, "What the fuck was.." I was then interrupted by the violent shaking of the entire carriage around us.

Alice was crying hysterically now. However, I was so disoriented that I hardly knew what was going on.

Then the shaking abruptly stopped.

Alice stopped crying, but the tears had streaked down her face and matted her hair against her cheeks.

It was silent outside for a few minutes, and finally I began to feel less disoriented. I sat up away from the back of the carriage and whispered to Alice, "We have to get out of here."

"Wh..where? There's nowhere to run!" she whispered back frantically.

She was right. There wasn't anywhere to run.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

I tensed. That couldn't be a good sound.

A female voice cackled outside the door, followed by a male voice, taunting Alice and I, "Come out, Come out!"

Alice slid closer to me, and we wrapped our arms around each other. She had continued crying, but I was too scared to cry. Instead I closed my eyes, squeezed Alice tight and hoped that it would all go away.

The female cackling continued, but now it sounded like it was coming from all directions. After that, everything became very fuzzy. My eyes were forced open by the fact that Alice was suddenly snatched from my grasp and dragged out of the carriage by a entity that I could not see. All I saw was the fear in her eyes as she screamed.

I reached out to grab her hand, but I was too late. I grasped at air just as she disappeared into the abyss. Her screams continued, but began to fade almost instantly, as if she were being carried away at a record pace.

I shot out of the carriage door faster than I have ever run in my life and just started running. I hit the brush almost instantly and began to blindly stumble through it, deeper into the forest. I hadn't run very far before I was exhausted, the blow to my head obviously wasn't helping.

Then, I was eating the dirt.

I sustained a massive blow to my back, knocking the wind out of me. I was pinned.

Something cold reached down, tugging the hair roughly away from my ear. The voice was harsh, sadistic, and vaguely familiar, "You're not making this fun for either of us."

The icy hands tugged at my shirt, nails scraped the skin on my back. I squirmed, but couldn't move.

"I can't decide if I should fuck you before or after I kill you," he breathed slowly into my ear.

The tears began to fall from my eyes. In that moment all I could think about was him. My Jacob. I closed my eyes, knowing that I would never see him again. He would never know what happened to me; just that I had never made it home. I pictured him in my mind; tall, dark, handsome with that smile that I had just fallen in love with. The man I had just met, but who had stolen my heart.

My assailant grit his teeth, "Fuck. You reek of wet dog. That fucking mutt. This makes killing you all more worth it." He rolled me over forcefully, his nails now scraping my stomach.

I clenched my eyes shut. I didn't want to open them, to see the horror that hovered above me; preparing to kill me. So I kept them closed and kept Jacob in my mind. I wanted my last thoughts to be of him.

I had become so wrapped up in my mind, blocking out what was happening that I did not realize he had stopped. It wasn't until I felt a rush of wind blow over me, and my assailant being knocked off of me.

I opened my eyes then to find that I could kind of see. I had landed face first in a small area where the trees parted and the moonlight was shining through.

I gaped at the sight before me. What had knocked my assailant off was a massive wolf. It was bigger than any I had ever seen. The wolf snarled and lunged at my.. assailant?

_Wait. Where is he?_ I looked around. _There's no way. He's... gone?_

I felt myself unable to breathe, my throat tightening in panic. The wolf turned, its pitch black eyes zoning in on me. I chuckled internally as I thought about how this might actually be a better way to go.

_Shred to bits by a wolf. That's gotta be more dignified that getting raped and murdered right?_

That was the last thought I remember having before everything went black.

JKPOV

It felt like I had been following them for days even though it had only been a matter of hours. I could hear Bella's slowed breathing, which meant she had fallen asleep. Alice's breathing too had slowed. Another hour more and I noticed the leeches had begun to descend from the canopy above, headed toward the coach. The blond bitch and her bloodsucking partner glided from the trees, landing swiftly on the path behind the carriage. The leech I was most worried about landed about 10 feet in front.

"_Where the fuck are you guys?" I asked, hoping they were closer than I guessed they actually were._

_I felt them both picking up their paces as they saw through my eyes what was about to go down._

"_Hurry," I begged them._

"_We are. Jake, be careful."_

Easier said than done. I heard the carriage come to a slow halt, the driver issuing a command to the horses to make them stop. Then the useless conversation.

I stood in the bushes, ahead of the carriage but parallel to its side, watching. I had to plan my timing just right, or I would be slaughtered, and I would be useless to Alice and Bella.

My blood boiled even hotter, thinking about what that fucker might be wanting to do to Bella. My Bella.

Fuckward, began to approach the driver, "My carriage has broken down just ahead. I need some help."

The driver set his reigns aside and slowly began to climb down from his seat. He began to follow Edward down the path, but they didn't make it far. Poor guy never saw it coming. The three of them pounced him, tearing into him like a delicious slice of meat. He didn't even have time to cry out. They drained him quickly, then Edward dragged the body off into the woods.

That's when I noticed that Alice and Bella were no longer asleep. I cringed as the Rosalie and Emmett stood outside the door. When it began to peek open, he thrust his body against it, causing it to slam shut. I heard Alice shriek, and what I could only imagine was Bella's body making a loud thud as it hit the opposite side of the carriage.

I continued to stand my ground. I couldn't move in too soon. I couldn't get myself killed.

Edward had returned and was now standing a few feet behind the other two, who were now shaking the carriage. I was getting impatient. This game of cat and mouse was hard for me to watch; I could only imagine what Bella and Alice were going through.

They stopped rocking the carriage. They just stood there, watching it for a few minutes. I heard Bella suggest an escape. I heard Alice cry that there was nowhere to run. It was true. It was a good thing I was there.

Rosalie let out a cackle as the girls fear permeated through the night air. Emmett laughed too, taunting them, "Come out, come out!"

Alice's cries grew louder, then became muffled. Bella wasn't making any noises, but I could tell by the sound of her heartbeat that she was just as terrified as her best friend.

It was then that Emmett flung the door open and gripped Alice by the ankles, dragging her out. Her scream was deafening, louder than I had ever heard anyone scream. He took off with her slung over his shoulder, his blond bitch had followed suit only a few moments after.

However, she never saw me coming.

I was out of sight for Edward, and Emmett was moving so fast he never would have seen me. I lunged at her, my open jaw latching at her throat. I had a lucky moment. I caught her just right in the jugular, ripping it open, stifling her screams. Another tear and her neck was hanging on half way, and then one more and it was completely decapitated; her final expression was one of utter disbelief and horror.

_Cunt._

Both Embry and Quil were cheering in my mind.

I looked around, Emmett was nowhere to be seen. I quietly edged my way back to the carriage, only to notice that Edward was no longer there. I looked inside the carriage. Bella was gone. I panicked. I began to listen for her.

I found her instantly, her heart was racing. I began to run after her, the smell of the leech was throwing me off, but then I heard him, the words unmistakeable, "Fuck. You reek of wet dog. That fucking mutt. This makes killing you all more worth it."

Then, he was in my line of sight. _Bad place to be, Mother Fucker._

I plowed into him like a bulldozer, knocking the undead wind out of him. I lunged at his throat, but missed. He hissed at me, his body hunched slightly in attack mode, and he swung his dirt and blood covered hand at me. He may have been faster than me, but today he wouldn't win. I dodged him swiftly and then bit at him again; but missed. Then a sign of recognition lit up in his undead eyes, "You!"

Suddenly, he wasn't so confident. I snarled, lunging at him again, but he moved too quickly, and then he was gone. I looked for him for a moment, but was too concerned with Bella. I turned, looking at her.

She was staring back at me, her eyes wide with fear, and she scrambled back a few feet before the fear overtook her and she passed out.

"_I'm going back to my cave. I've gotta get her as far away from the leeches as possible. This isn't over, obviously."_

Quil spoke, _"What do you want us to do?"_

I sighed, _"They've got Alice. I don't know if she'll even be alive, but I need you guys to look for her. Seth needs to meet me at my cave. Tell him to find some female clothes, have the bed made up, and find some soap or something. Medical kit would be nice too."_

"_I'm here," _Seth said, disbelief hinted in his tone._ Poor kid. _ This was all happening to fast for him.

"_See you guys soon," _I said.

I moved to Bella, and nudged her. She groaned, and opened her eyes. She saw me, and her eyes grew wide again, but she didn't scream. I nudged her again, gently. I then hunched down.

"_Trust me," _I thought. She couldn't hear me, but I guess that internal mantra stuff was worth a try. Amazingly enough, she crawled onto my back, wrapping her arms around my big furry neck. I could tell she was exhausted, and weak, but she held on tight. I began to run as fast as I could with her clinging to me.

I needed to stay away from the path. Once they realized they were one bloodsucker down they would start to look for me; for us.

We wouldn't be safe; not until they were all dead.

And this was only the beginning.


	11. The Truth

**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing.. except the storyline if you want to get technical, but the characters aren't mine. Though I'd take Jake over Edward any day. Also this chapter may have questionable material.  
**

**There's talk of FF pulling stories with ratings considered MA. While this story (as well as my short one) are not nearly mature as some others I have read, it may be considered questionable enough to be pulled. If it is pulled, I will continue this story through my blog until I find a place to post.**

**Sorry it has taken me so long to post.. I have been extremely busy with school, planning a baby shower for my friend, and now I've got another big test coming up. And of course I got the chapter about half written when writers block struck me and I just had to step back.**

**Summer 2011! Twilight Fanfiction Convention in the works. I've been added to the committee which I am happy to be part of! So check it out and start planning to join us! :)**

.

**And here you go.. the long awaited chapter..  
**

Chapter 11

The Truth

I ran and ran; faster than I ever have. I was on a mission to get Bella to a safe location.

_Safer location, _my inner thought reminded me. Safer. We were no longer safe as long as the vampires were on our trail. As much as it had pleased me to rip the head off the blond, it may not have been my best move. I would have been better off killing Edward, than the mate of the other. Revenge was imminent now.

Oh well.

After half an hour or so, Bella had fallen asleep, but her grasp had remained tightened around my neck. Her soft breath tickled my fur, and I smiled; so thankful she was alive and well.

Quil broke into my thoughts, _"We're here." _Then he continued, _"Damn those fuckers really reek."_

I chuckled, _"Told you. What's the status?"_

Embry broke in,_ "There's no bodies. The carriage is still here, and the horses are spooked to all hell."_

I sighed. Looks like the leeches already knew that they were one down. _ "Release the horses I guess. Leave the carriage where it is, but get the girls' suitcases. Break one of the carriage wheels or something. Make it look like they broke down. Then I want you guys to snoop around a little. See if you can find where they've taken Alice. But be careful. They'll be hellbent on revenge."_

"_Yes sir,"_ they chimed.

The next hour was basically silent with the exception of the occasional chatter of Quil and Embry, discussing what they had or hadn't found in their search. Then Seth entered our minds, _"I've got everything set up for you Jacob."_

"_Thanks Seth,"_ I said, _"You've done well. Everything is okay over there right?"_

"_Nothing unusual. Anything else I can do?" _He seemed so eager to please.

"_Just keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. I'll be there in about 2 hours; probably a little less."_

"_Okay."_

I kept running. Another half hour went by.

"_I found something," _Embry said. _"It's a necklace."_

He described it, but before he finished I knew who it belonged to: Alice.

"_Bring it back with you," _I said. I would need to give it to Jasper.

_Shit. Jasper. _I hadn't thought about how I was going to deal with him. I would have to tell him something. If anything, Bella would insist.

Of course I had to decide what I was going to tell Bella too.

"_The truth," _Quil said.

"_It's against the rules," _I countered.

"_Ancient rules. There hasn't been a wolf in our ancestry in what? 100 years? Longer?" _ Embry defended.

He was right. It had been a long time. Times were different now. And although I really felt that Bella's feelings for me were as true as mine were for her, she deserved to know the truth. She deserved the right to make the decision.

"_I hope she takes it okay," _I mumbled.

"_She's gonna be shocked bro. But she deserves to know. Especially if she's 'the one.' She needs to accept all of you. Could be a deal breaker," _Embry continued.

"_I doubt that," _Quil said. _"You saw their weekend. She is his 'one.'"_

Sometimes I fucking hated that they saw and knew everything.

"_Okay guys. That's enough. I'll tell her," _I said hastily, just wanting this conversation to end.

I looked around. I hadn't realized that I was in familiar territory. I was only half an hour from home. I had run much faster than I had originally thought.

"_I'm standing guard outside your place," _Seth said. _"See you soon."_

Right on time, half an hour later I came to a stop right outside the entrance to my hiding place where Seth was standing guard. He was kind of scrawny as a wolf, gangly even; but no doubt strong. We all were. His fur was a deep brown, with hints of sienna brushed in.

I gave him a nod as I passed him, making my way into the dark opening of the cave. _"Thanks."_

"_No problem. I'll continue to hang out for a while. Let me know if you need anything," _he replied.

"_I will,"_ I said as I walked slowly through the narrow passageways, being extra careful and cautious with Bella. Finally, I saw a small sliver of light ahead; Seth had put a light in the main cavern. I chuckled softly, thinking to myself that I didn't need that light. Even in human form I could see pretty well in the dark, but it would help.

"_It's for her," _he sniffed.

"_I know. You did well, Seth. No worries."_ Knowing me, I would've neglected the light all together.

The main cavern was not very big. Upon first entering into the cavern there was a small circular table with two chairs, which is where the lantern sat, illuminating the small space. About 5 feet behind the table was a bed, well it was a bed to me. It was a mattress on the floor with some blankets and pillows, even though I could pretty much sleep anywhere. Another 5 feet behind the mattress was a entrance to what I called the bathroom. There was a large pool of water that flowed from the river, so it made a good bathing area because the water was not stagnant. There was also another small hole in the ground, which could easily be used as a toilet, though I had never needed to. I decided I would leave it up to Bella. I could escort her to my parents house if she really couldn't stand to use a hole in the ground, or even go outdoors. _Then again, roughing it may become part of our normal routine. _ Also in the main cavern there were a few fairly large boulders that made for extra seating, or workspace, but beyond that, that was it. Until now, it was all I had needed.

I crawled onto the bed crouching down and wiggling enough to get Bella to release my neck. I was thankful that she didn't wake; the last thing I wanted was for her to see me shift from wolf form before I was ready for her to see it. I padded quietly behind one of the larger boulders and shifted quickly; then dressed. I loved being shifted, but it was nice to be back on two legs with full use of my opposable thumbs.

The first thing I did was make sure Bella was comfortable. However, I was distracted as I looked over her; I mean _really_ looked over her. It reminded me of that dream I had had about her. Here she was, covered head to toe in filth; dirt and mud smeared all over her face, her hair resembled a rat's nest with more mud combined with leaves and twigs. Her clothes were destroyed, hell her shirt was barely hanging on.

I wanted to get her cleaned up, but feared that she would wake and be terrified that I had caused this.

_You did cause this_. My thoughts roared at me. In a way I had caused this. Then again, had I? Was it fate that those bloodsucking parasites decided to show up that same weekend and ruin everything? I didn't quite know.

Instead of cleaning her up, I looked over her carefully. There were some cuts, scrapes, and bruises, but otherwise she appeared to be physically okay. Emotionally, I wasn't sure how she would fare, but she was strong; she would survive.

I wrapped a blanket around her. I then moved to the lantern that Seth had placed on the table and shut it off. I could see just fine in the dark, one of the many perks of being a shifter. I made my way to the 'bathroom' where I slipped out of my shorts and dipped into the nice cool water. In that moment I wanted to relax, take a deep breath, and be thankful we were safe.

But we weren't safe. We wouldn't be safe until _they_ were gone; so it was only a bittersweet moment I received as I washed. After I finished I threw on a pair of black cotton pants and a gray cotton top, then I went back to sit at the table. I faced the bed so that I could keep an eye on Bella. She was still out cold, her steady breathing a reminder of how lucky I was.

I put my head in my hands, closing my eyes and started to go over how I was going to explain to her everything that was happening. I just hoped she would understand the truth.

BPOV

Have you ever been so terrified you thought you were gonna piss your pants? That's how I felt when I woke up in the pitch blackness of an unfamiliar place. For a brief moment I thought it had all been a dream; a very vivid, very bad dream. Well, at least the parts I could remember. For a moment I thought I was back at home, curled up in my bed. But then the reality hit me. I was in a dark, damp place, the sound of dripping water was the only noise I could hear, and it was a haunting sound of how much trouble I was in.

I quietly felt around in the dark, trying to find something familiar. I felt a blanket, the bed I was laying on, and the ground, which was hard; like stone.

I kept feeling around the mattress, following the cold floor until I found a wall. I slid closer to it and pressed my back against it. I stood slowly and began to feel around. I had no idea what I thought I was doing, but I was doing it.

_Fight for your life, Bella._

I had something to live for didn't I? Would I be able to find my way out of here? Where was the wolf, or was that a dream after all?

_I'm so confused._

A shuffling noise made me stop moving. It sounded like a chair, scraping across a floor.

I froze, my breath caught in my throat. I listened intently as the shuffling continued for a moment. I tried to press myself closer to the wall, as if that would somehow save me from the thing I couldn't see.

A moment later, the room flooded with light, temporarily blinding me, and causing instant panic. I went into flight mode, trying to run, holding the wall as I spastically tried to flee. My escape was short lived as I slammed into something hard. I thought it was another wall, until it moved and I felt strong arms wrap themselves tightly around me.

I was still adjusting to the light, still unable to see my captor, and I struggled, trying to push them away from me, "Let me go! Please! Don't hurt me!"

_Why is this happening to me?_

The responding voice startled me. It was the last person I ever expected to hear, "Hurt you? Bella baby, I'd never hurt you."

I looked up, my eyes slowly adjusting and my features clearer; large dark eyes, deep russet skin, dark hair. Jacob.

"J..Jacob?" I tried to put it all together; the attack, the wolf. What was real? What wasn't? How had he found me?

I started shaking as my knees gave way. His arms tightened around me, holding me as I broke into hysterical tears.

I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know whether I was safe or not. I couldn't imagine Jacob hurting me. My hands gripped the soft fabric of his shirt as I buried my face into his chest and cried.

I was instantly calmed by the way he smelled; the same as he had before, but stronger now, like a forest after a fresh rain storm, woodsy, manly. I gripped his shirt even tighter, grasping to him like he was my last breath of air.

I cried for a while, the entire time he held me, stroked my back, my hair, and didn't say a word.

Then, I recovered. I kept my face pressed against his chest as the questions began to spill out of my mouth, "What happened? How did I get here? Where..."

"Shh," he interrupted as he moved a hand to my face, pulling mine away from his chest so that he could look at me, "I know you have questions, and I swear Bells, I will answer every one of them for you. But I really would like you to get cleaned up. I need to make sure that all your injuries get cleaned."

_Injuries?_

"What are you talking about?" In that instant I became aware of the stinging on different parts of my body. Then I remembered my frantic run through the woods, and being attacked. I began to panic again. Who had attacked me?

He must have seen it in my eyes, because he loosened his grip on me, the opposite of what someone who would want to hurt me would have done.

"Bells, it's a very long story. I promise, promise, _promise_ I will tell you as soon as we get you cleaned and changed. We have a lot to talk about. Trust me. Please?"

_Can I trust him?_

_Of course you can._

I took in a slow, deep breath before nodding in agreement.

He smiled softly, but I noticed that it barely reached his eyes.

As I stepped back from him, I got a glimpse of where I was.

A cave?

I observed the bed on the ground a few feet behind me. I saw a small table with two chairs, and that was basically it. There were several tunnels leading from the cavern, to where I had no idea.

"You live here?" I asked, turning my attention back to him.

He shrugged slightly, "Not really. I live with my parents, but sometimes when I need to get away I come here. It's kind of like my hide out, for when I need to get away. Here, follow me."

He took my hand and led me through the short passage closest to the bed, carrying the lantern with the other. As we made it through I noticed a pool of water, slowly flowing through the area.

"Bath," he said, nodding to the pond. Then he pointed to what can only be described as a hole in the ground, "Toilet."

_Seriously?_

"If you can't handle it, you can always pee outside, or hold it until I can take you to my parent's place."

I shrugged, knowing I really didn't have a choice at that exact moment, "I can handle it. In fact, it's better than using it outside."

He chuckled, "Well, it's like the pool, it has a flow to it, but I promise they are separate from each other."

I nodded again.

He motioned to a pile of items near the pool, "Towel, a change of clothes, soap; everything you should need to get cleaned up. When you're done we can check your scrapes and such. I... I looked over you briefly, and as professionally as possible. I needed to make sure you didn't have any life threatening wounds or anything," he stopped a moment, hesitating, "I couldn't stand it if I had lost you Bella." He pressed his lips to my forehead before letting go of my hand, "I'll be right in here, call if you need me."

"Okay," I said quietly as he set the light down on the floor and turned and headed out of the room. I moved to the edge of the pond and sat down. It was then I realized how horrible I must have looked. My shoes were caked in mud, and my pants where too. They were ripped at the knees, both exposed, scraped and caked over with blood and mud. I pulled my shirt off to discover it was basically in two pieces. I had a gash across my stomach, not too deep, but it was painful.

I sat there a moment, and then slowly pulled my knees in to my chest as I started to weep again. I was being a baby, but I couldn't help it. Things were starting to come back to me in detail now, especially the details right before I passed out; being thrown down and assaulted.

What had he said? I reeked of..._dog? _

_What the hell does that even mean?_

Was it a random act of violence? Carriage robbers? I didn't know. I then realized that Jacob had gone into the next room without the light. That struck me as odd as well. Didn't he need it?

I decided it was best if I got cleaned up so that he could answer some of these questions, so I wiped away my tears, and began slipping off the rest of my clothing. I tossed my shoes, socks, and pants aside before removing my undergarments. I dipped a toe in to test the water. It was cool, not too cold, but not really very warm either.

Sliding in though was amazing, it felt perfect. I grabbed the soap and began to rub it over my body. As I washed, all the damage that had been done became apparent; the water was making my body sting now as the cuts and scrapes were being washed clean.

When I got to my hair I was actually appalled. I must have had a pound of forest tangled in it, and it took me longer than I would have liked to clean it, but finally I had untangled and de-nested my hair. Once I was done, I climbed out, grabbing the towel and carefully patting myself dry, and then I pulled my hair up with the towel once I was done. I slipped into the clothes that were laid out for me, a soft pair of dark blue pants, and a dark blue shirt. They were both very large on me, but I was thankful to be in clean clothing. I pushed all my dirty clothes to the side so they would not be tripped over, grabbed the light and headed back into the room where Jake was. He was leaning up against a boulder that was near the table, standing in the dark until I had come back.

I went to move near him when he stopped me, "Have a seat on the bed."

I cocked my head to the side, confused.

"Trust me, Bella." His tone was firm, almost commanding; a side I hadn't really seen of him yet. I moved back to the bed, sitting down on it slowly. I had so many questions.

His brow was furrowed, as if he were heavy in thought, trying to think of what to say. Finally he took a deep breath, "What do you remember?"

"I.." I started._ What did I remember? _"Alice and I..."

_Wait. Fuck. How could I have forgotten Alice?_

"Where is Alice?" I blurted out, now very concerned that she wasn't here.

He nodded, "Everything is foggy to you then?"

"I...I remember we left. I remember kissing you goodbye, talking to Alice, then falling asleep. I thought everything else was a dream until I woke up here. But.. we.. were attacked. I don't know by who, or _what._ It moved so fast, Jake. It was, unreal." My chatter continued on, as I recounted everything that happened. Until this point, I hadn't actually relived my whole experience, just bits and pieces.

"And then there was this huge wolf. And..and..." _I must sound bat shit crazy to him._

I stopped speaking when I looked at him and noticed a slight smirk on his mouth.

"You're _laughing_ at me? Seriously?" I felt myself getting angry as I crossed my arms tightly around my chest and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. Listen, I'm about to tell you what is going on. And you'll see why I kind of smiled, because it is much more bizarre than anything you just said."

_How could it be more bizarre?_

My hands squeezed my upper arms tightly before I slowly lowered them, "Tell me then. What the hell is going on?"

"Well," he started, "before I tell you anything I need you to trust me. I need you to not make any rash decisions, or to be afraid of me because I would never hurt you. Ever. Not to mention you'd never find your way out of here." His laugh was half hearted, but I knew it was true. "Do you trust me?"

I didn't respond for a moment, thinking to myself. I had no choice but to trust him. However, what I was really weighing was if I did truly trust him, not just because I didn't really have a choice. He didn't say anything as I sat in silence for a few more minutes, thinking. Luckily, my heart _and_ my head agreed on one thing; that I did trust him. Despite everything that had happened tonight, I knew one thing was sure, Jake had not been the one that had caused this to happen. I remembered that the voice had been familiar to me, but it had not been Jake, and I was one hundred percent positive on that.

Finally I answered, "Yes. I trust you."

He smiled softly, "Good. The only other thing I ask of you is that you keep your cool with me. There are certain things I left out, _but_ I did it because I was trying to protect you. I swear."

I nodded slowly. _He had left things out?_ Then again, I didn't know him that well. I just knew that I never had a choice on falling for him. We were meant to be where we were, as weird as that sounded to me. So however we had gotten here, however _I_ had gotten here, that's how it was supposed to be.

Drawing in a long breath as if preparing himself for something he didn't really want to talk about, he took his time before speaking, "I... don't really know Edward. He isn't my childhood 'friend.' Until the other day, I had never met him or his two leec... friends."

My brow furrowed in confusion, "But, why would you lie?"

"Bare with me. Please?"

I took a deep breath, "Okay. Keep going."

"I planned on telling you everything this weekend when I came to see you. This was an issue beyond Edward. I.. There's no easy way to say this to you Bella." He paused for another moment before continuing, "Edward is my enemy. He and his...friends attacked you. They're... vampires and I..."

"Wait," I said, shaking my head as an incredulous laugh escaped my lips. "Vampires? Seriously? Like blood drinking, "I vant to suck your blood" vampires? Out of _all_ the fucking excuses you could tell, vampires?"

He didn't stop talking, "And I'm a werewolf. Well, technically I am a shape shifter, but whatever."

I couldn't help but get angry. The blood rushed to my face as I threw my hands up, "Just stop Jacob. Just..I.." _Had I made a mistake in trusting him? Was my head wrong?_

"I can prove it."

_Ha. Right. He can prove it. Of course he can Bella. You're in the land of magical mythical creatures. Next thing you know, you'll be flying away on a unicorn that shoots rainbows out of its ass._

"I'm dead. That's what's happening. I'm fucking dead, and now I'm in hell. And if I'm not dreaming, well then, you're fucking delusional and I'm trapped in a cave with a delusional werewolf man."

"Bella," he said, his voice growing stern again, "You said you'd trust me. You said you'd listen to me. Remember?"

"Well, it's not like I have anywhere to run," I mumbled bitterly. "So, shift away wolf boy!"

He shook his head rolling his eyes, and I swear I heard him laugh, "You're about to eat your words." He moved behind the boulder he had been leaning against, "Sorry. I have to take all my clothes off or they'll rip when I shift."

_Right. I really did bag me a crazy one._

"Ready?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Yeah."

"And just remember, I won't hurt you Bella."

I heard that cracking first. Then almost instantly he went from standing there, to not standing there. He just, disappeared. My brain couldn't process movement that fast.

I heard a shuffling behind the boulder as I leaned up to sit on my knees, "Jake?" My voice barely scratched a whisper. The fury has subsided, and now I was feeling terrified again.

_What the fuck is going on?_

A moment later, a wolf appeared from behind the boulder. I laughed nervously. I would've said that this was just any wolf, that he had somehow created this whole scheme so that I would believe some half-cocked story about vampires and werewolves, and crazy inconceivable notions, but I knew it wasn't the moment I saw it. I recognized the eyes from the forest, and from the man I loved. He wasn't lying, and I suddenly felt like the biggest ass in the world.

"I.. I'm sorry Jake," I said with a whisper. "But, werewolves? Vampires? All this shit is true?"

Obviously he didn't answer with words, but padded back behind the boulder again. Then he was standing there, though he didn't look at me mockingly. He put his clothes back on, which was good because I was distracted enough.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled again.

"Don't be. You kept a cool head for most of it. Taking something like this in is difficult. It's the reason why I hadn't told you yet. But with the turn of events, obviously I had to tell you something. The truth is, I wanted to tell you before things got too serious. Traditionally most women didn't find out until they were already married. Sometimes the shifting occurred _after_ couples got married. However, I want you to have the choice. I _know_ you're the only one for me. I can never settle for anyone after having met you. You're my mate, at least I want you to be. But I could never force you to be mine, not against your will. I'm not barbaric. I will protect you until I know you are safe, but I will leave after if that's what you want."

I sat there, stunned, and unable to speak.

He sighed again, "I killed the blond. You were to be Edward's prey, I guess. I'm not really sure. I guess that maybe he had you picked from the beginning, but after the encounter at the tavern I'm sure it made it that much more challenging, or worth it for him. He's the one I chased off of you. He was going to kill you. He was going to take you away from me."

"And Alice?"

"I don't know. I don't know where they took her. I've got my top two guys looking for where they're keeping her. I'm sorry. I couldn't save her. I had to make a choice Bella." He looked so forlorn as he stood there, arms secured across his chest.

My friend was gone. She might have been dead, for all I knew. And here I was, alive and well. "So, what now?"

"I'm not sure. Here's the problem; until the three of them, I've never met a vampire. However, when I shifted my parents believed that they must be near, because I was the first in many generations. So far, there are three others from my town. But other than that, I basically know very little, and I'm sorry about that. I want to talk to my dad. I was waiting for you to wake up. I didn't want to leave you here to wake up alone. However, I'll let you meet Seth, and he'll keep you company."

I shook my head, "No. I want to go with you. If we're gonna do this together, I deserve to go."

"I wish you could, but my family doesn't know anything about you. They don't know that I've told anyone anything. I don't know how they'll take this, because I've basically gone against the tradition by telling you about us."

I really didn't care. I felt that I deserved to go, especially since I had no intention of leaving him. I pulled myself to my feet and walked over to him, "I would never tell anyone, Jake. And they can't very well be angry with you if I'm your mate."

His eyebrows raised, "I want you to think about this Bella. I don't want to drag you into something that you may not want. I love you, more than you'll ever know, but I'm not a wild beast, just wanting to claim my woman." He leaned down, kissing my forehead, "I want you to be sure."

"I am sure," I said, placing my hands on his warm chest. Being in such close proximity to him really did drive me crazy. I tipped my head up to kiss him, the idea of him claiming me sent my hormones into a frenzy.

Almost instantly, Jake's mouth moved to deepen the kiss. I obliged, my mouth eagerly moving with his. Slowly, almost painfully, his hands began to wander downward, setting fire to my skin in their wake. He grazed past my shoulders, over my breasts and hardening nipples. Then they traveled further, brushing my waist and reaching for the tie on my pants. He tugged the knot free, then slid his hands up my shirt.

I moaned into his mouth, my hands tightly gripping his shirt and I began to tug it from his body. I wanted it off.

We broke from the kiss so that I could pull it off of him. I stopped for a moment to look at his sculpted torso. I'd seen bodies like this in some of the art books I studied from, like he was sculpted from stone, but it still amazed me. I let my eyes wander back to his, which were filled with an unbridled passion.

I smiled softly as I let my hand trail down his chest to the waist band of his shorts. I rubbed my hands over the soft fabric slowly as I watched Jake's eyes drill into mine unwavering in his intensity. I began to wander lower, my hand making contact with his rock hard member. I used my palm to rub the length of him, which was making me a little uneasy. I hadn't felt this nervous about sex, well, ever that I could remember.

_It's because he's the one._

I smiled softly as I continued to massage him through his pants, watching as his eyes closed and rolled back into his head.

A small chuckle escaped my mouth, which was probably a bad idea because the next thing I knew a growl had emerged from him and I was flat on my back on the rock, his hips grinding against mine and his hands pinning my arms up above my head.

He nudged my neck possessively, his teeth nipping at my skin, sending shock waves through me and causing me to gasp for breath as his hands released mine and moved to the collar of my shirt, and ripped it straight down the middle, exposing my breasts. He wasted no time moving his mouth to one of my breasts, bringing my nipples between his teeth and flicking it with his scalding tongue. His hand playing with my other breast, rolling and squeezing my other nipple between two fingers.

I squirmed beneath him, the teasing driving me crazy. He released his mouth from my breast and continued to knead both my breasts as he kissed down my stomach to the edge of my pants.

He ran his tongue along the band a few times before his hands moved from my breasts to meet his lips. He gripped the sides and pulled them down over my ass, down my legs, and to the floor.

Slowly, he worked his hands back up, starting at my ankles; his thumbs grazing the bone on the inside of each one. As he trailed upward, his hands moved out and around to the backs of my calves, behind my knees, then moved them back inward as he massaged my inner thighs.

Once again, his thumbs teased me as they made brief contact over my core as they made their way back up my stomach, over my breasts, and finally came to rest above my shoulders on the rock.

I leaned up to kiss him again, my mouth wanting to taste his, unable to get enough of his kisses. For a few moments our mouths fought for dominance, but he won, my kisses succumbing to his.

I felt one of his hands move between my thighs, nudging them farther apart. I gasped as a warm finger slid between my wet folds, causing a shiver of pleasure to radiate up my spine. He rubbed his finger up and down a few strokes before pulling his finger away.

His mouth covered mine again distracting me as he entered without warning.

I moaned as he filled me completely, a mix of pain and pleasure reverberated through me as my body adjusted to his size. I would have imagined that my body would have never been able to handle anything like that, but I was wrong. Within a few minutes he started to thrust his hips into me slowly. He moved his hand to the back of my thigh, pushing my leg up and hooking it around his waist.

I pulled my arms tightly around his back, digging my nails into him. I fell into rhythm with him, the thrusts becoming deeper and harder as we both rocked towards a finish.

I leaned up, pressing my mouth against his neck, sucking the beading sweat from him.

"I love you," his husky voice danced against my skin. "I love you more than life itself."

I pulled my other leg around his waist, gripping him tightly as our movements synced flawlessly, and I felt myself preparing to slip over the precipice of pleasure.

His hand cradled my neck and face as he kissed me again, over and over, mumbling my name between each kiss.

A few moments later, his name escaped my lips as my body succumbed to his completely, my orgasm rocking me far beyond any pleasure I could have ever imagined.

At the same time, I felt his release as well, as our bodies continued to move together simultaneously and we rose and fell together as the ecstasy submerged us.

What was only a brief moment in time felt like an eternity before we finally collapsed into each other breathing heavily, our bodies dripping with sweat.

We stayed there for a few minutes, clinging to each other tightly. Finally he pulled away from me, but not before kissing me one last time.

I whimpered as he stood, our bodies losing contact.

"I know," he said softly as he slid his pants back on and handed me my pants and the shirt he had been wearing. "I promise, as soon as all this is over, we'll have plenty of time to do nothing except lay around naked and hold each other."

I slipped into my clothes, then moved to sit on the bed. Part of me had never felt more whole in my entire life, but there was another part of me that was full of dread. I knew it was because now we had to move on to dealing with the task at hand.

And I was scared shitless.


	12. Meeting the Blacks

**Okay, first and foremost, I know last time I talked about moving this to a different site. I have done so. You have to join this site, and you must be over 18 to do so, but I promise, it's worth it, especially if you're a WOLF LOVER :) Lots of great girls (and even a couple of guys) over there! So come join me!**

http:// jacobblack-n-pack(dot)ning(dot)com/group/werewolfinouterspace

**My penname is the same as it is here: MegaraMegumi**

**Secondly, I also have created an account with **www(dot)twcslibrary(dot)com **(also with the same penname and I will also place werewolf there, and I also have a vampire diaries story there.. and soon a supernatural story)**

**I will more than likely take my stories down from here in a couple of weeks, so I hope that those of you who have enjoyed my story so far will follow me in my move!**

**Thanks for all your support!**

**Also I hope you will all check out this contest I will be judging in if you are a writer. **http:// www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2344145/The_Wolf_and_The_Pack-Hag

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight. Wish I did.  
**

Chapter 12

Meeting the Blacks

JKPOV

"Jake! Jake, bro, wake up!" I hadn't even realized that I had fallen asleep until I had heard my name being called.

I groaned, opening my eyes to see who was calling my name. As my vision cleared I saw Seth, Quil, and Embry standing by the table.

"Dude, cover yourself," Embry joked. "But please leave her uncovered."

Thankfully, Bella was on the other side of me, hidden by my body. I sat up and grabbed the blanket pulling it over her form before I stood, grabbing my shorts and throwing them on.

All three of them had shit eating smirks on their faces, which I rolled my eyes in response to. I changed the subject, "So, what's going on?"

Embry held out his hand, holding Alice's pendant by the cord, "There's that." Then, he motioned to the left of where they were standing to reveal Bella and Alice's suitcases.

I nodded, "Thanks guys. Anything else?"

Quil shook his head, "We followed their reeking scent to a small cottage out in the middle of nowhere, but we didn't investigate too far. We weren't sure how to proceed. What about you? Things seem to be going, er, well." I watched as he fought the urge to smirk again.

"She took it better than I thought she would. Not sure how my parents are going to take everything."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Quil said. "They can't really blame you for anything that's happened. Hell, there's not much that can prepare you for a situation like this."

I scratched my head, chuckling, "Sometimes I think maybe you should be pack leader, oh wise one. What time is it?" Sometimes I hated being in the cave; it made time seem very irrelevant.

"It'll be dawn in about 2 hours," Quil continued, "What's your plan?"

I hadn't really gotten much past telling Bella. Obviously. "Well, I'm gonna let her sleep a little longer. Unlike us, she can't survive on just a couple of hours. Once the sun is up I'll take her to go see my parents. I'm hoping my dad can answer some of my questions. Then after that I have to go tell Jasper. That may be the most difficult task of all. He and Alice are close."

The three of them nodded and Quil asked, "And then?"

I shook my head, "I don't know. I'll have to think on it. Time is imperative. I'm hoping that we will find Alice alive, but I know that we may not be so lucky. So, go home and get some rest."

Embry shook his head, "No. I'm not leaving."

"It's an order," I said sternly. "We will be okay. I don't need to sleep anymore. You can meet me back here around lunch time. At that time we will decide to what will happen next, such as who will be joining me to Sparrow Grove. Understood?"

They all nodded, even though Embry still seemed to want to argue with me. The three of them turned and headed back through the caverns toward the outside and back to their homes for the remainder of the night. As soon as they were gone, I grabbed the lantern and turned out the light, then moved back over to the bed with it, setting it within reach in case I needed to turn it on for Bella. I then slipped back out of my pants and slipped under the blanket with her.

I was surprised to hear murmur in her sleep, "Mmm, where'd you go?" She rolled over, her body now facing mine.

I smiled, whispering into the darkness, even though I could see her face clearly, "The guys were here. We were just talking business." I pulled my arms around her tightly, tucking her safely against me.

Her arm circled tightly around my waist and she pressed her cheek against my chest, "Is everything okay?"

One of my hands made my way to her hair, stroking it softly as I tried to comfort her, "As okay as it can be baby doll. I won't let anything happen to you."

I felt her smile against me as she whispered her reply, "I know."

We said nothing after that. Within a few minutes she had fallen back asleep, her breathing slow and even. For the next couple of hours I held her while she slept, all the while trying to formulate a plan. It proved to be more difficult than I thought.

Finally, I decided it was time to venture home, taking Bella with me to meet the parents. She was still wrapped tightly against me, and looked so peaceful that it pained me to wake her. My lips pressed softly against her forehead as I thought to myself about what my world had been like up until now. Prior to meeting her, I would've said my life was good, content even. But now that I had her, I realized how utterly bland my life truly had been. Now I was seeing everything more vividly, like a hazy screen had been removed from my vision. It pained me to think that the fight had just begun.

I moved a hand up, brushing the hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. I brought my lips to her ear, whispering tenderly, "Bells, wake up. We've gotta get ready to go see my parents."

She groaned her arms tightening around me, "Can't we just stay here forever?"

"I wish we could," I replied. "Soon we will. We just have to take care of this first."

For a few minutes we were silent again, just the sounds of our breath and heartbeats in the dark cave.

When Bella spoke again, her question nearly broke my heart, "Jake, do you think we'll find Alice alive?"

I wanted to tell her yes. I wanted to tell her everything would be okay. However, I knew trying to tell her that wouldn't be true.

"I don't know, Bella."

But I'd wished to hell I did.

EDPOV

"MOTHER FUCKER!"

The cacophony of Emmett's screams literally made the walls of the small cabin we were in, shake. He had taken almost every piece of furniture and split it, broken it, and smashed it into tiny little pieces. All the while, I stood in the corner, waiting for his tantrum to be over. Behind me, knocked out cold, and tied up, was the little tiny girl, Alice.

When Rose hadn't shown up at the cabin behind him, Emmett had tied her up to keep her from escaping and then left to find her. I was still in the woods, about to take Bella's life when I was chased off by that filthy mutt.

By the time I got back, Emmett was in full destroyer mode. The one piece of furniture that wasn't destroyed was the bed, where he had laid Rose's decapitated body and head. Not that we needed any furniture, but now the place looked like shit.

After a good hour of screaming and breaking things, Em finally collapsed on the ground, looking spent. It's rare to see a vampire exhibit so much emotion, but it happens, especially if a situation merits such.

When I looked back down at the floor, I noticed that Alice was awake. She was squeezed tightly into the corner, her eyes wide, and her face streaked with tears. I drew my attention back to Em, "You done pitching your little fit now?"

His eyes lifted to meet mine, "Little fit? Fucking flea bag killed my wife! He killed her!"

"I'm sorry. What else do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say you'll help me get revenge for her life! Fuck, Edward! If not for Rose, you'd still be sniffling along with your little pussy vegetarian group, sucking the blood out of fucking field rats."

I supposed he was right.

"Well, not that you'll feel much better, but I didn't feed either. That fucking mutt got me right before I finished. This isn't done, Em. We will have our revenge on them."

Emmett chuckled, a malicious sound escaping his lips, "What did you have in mind, dear brother?"

"Well, I was thinking we could start right here," I replied, turning my attention to Alice.

_Yes, indeed. This would be a great place to start._

BPOV

I gripped Jake's hand tightly in mine as we entered the small village where he grew up. Compared to Bartonville, and even Sparrow Grove, Aziz was truly quaint. As we made our way through the center of town, people were tending to their morning routines; opening up shops, taking out laundry to hang and dry, sweeping off their doorsteps, and many other morning activities.

I truly found myself refreshed. This place wasn't full of the hustle and bustle like the larger towns on this continent. About halfway through, we took a left heading down a row of small houses.

We finally reached the house where Jake lived with his parents. I found myself becoming very nervous as we walked up the small cobbled walkway and to the door. I kept my hand tightly clasped in his, but stood behind him a step as he reached for the door with his free hand.

It cracked slightly and he called out, "Mom? Dad? Are you home?"

The response was that of a woman's, "Jake, honey? Is that you?"

He pushed the door open more, pulling me with him.

"Yeah it's me. Come here, I've got someone I want you to meet."

Once I was in, Jake kicked the door shut with his foot, and pulled me up next to him, not allowing me to hide in his shadow.

Jake's mother was a beautiful woman; dark skin, with long black hair that hung in a loose braid, with dark green eyes that crinkled around the edges when she smiled. She was short, and of average build, and she moved with a confidence that many people lack.

She dried her hands on a small dishtowel, and dropped it on the table as she walked up to us, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "Oh Jacob! Who is this lovely lady you have brought home?" She extended her hands, taking my free hand in hers, "Oh my. Hello dear. I'm Sarah, Jake's mother."

I couldn't help but blush, I had never actually met the parents of anyone I had ever dated. Not to mention, she was practically my mother in law now, whether she knew it or not. "I'm Bella," I said, trying not to sound near as scared as I was.

Jake released my hand, which made me even more nervous than I already was.

Sarah let go of my hand and reached over, giving Jake a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which he had to bend down to receive. She chuckled, "I swear you get taller every time I see you."

"Mom, it's only been a couple of days," he said, scratching his head. "Is...Is dad here?"

She shook her head as she stepped back, motioning for us to sit at the table, "No, he's not. He said he would be back shortly though. He wasn't going to open the shop today, so I imagine he'll be around shortly. Are you hungry? There's some left over eggs."

Jake nodded, "Starving. Bella?"

Come to think of it, I was pretty hungry, "Yeah, I could go for a little bit of something." I followed Jake to the kitchen table, which was fairly small, but I guessed would snugly fit four people. Jake pulled out a chair for me and made sure I was settled before he moved on to his chair.

Sarah placed two plates in front of us, mine with a 'normal' portion of eggs, and then there was Jake's plate. I tried not to laugh at the heaping pile of eggs that was there. She said there were 'some' left over, that seemed to be an understatement. She must've known he might show up today.

We ate in silence, while Sarah continued washing dishes. Then about halfway through, the front door swung open, and in walked who I could only presume to be Jacob's father. I could see now that Jacob favored his father and his mother fairly evenly. His father stood about the same height as me, but was built like a ton of bricks, just like Jake. But Jake had his mother's kind eyes, even though the color favored his father's, and he also had some of her softer facial features.

"Sarah, have you seen my..." then he stopped when his eyes landed on me, then moved to Jacob. He didn't need us to tell him anything, it was like he already knew.

He shut the door and then made his way over to the table. Jake stood quickly, a sign of respect to the man before him who did not look very happy.

"Father," he started, but his father put his hand up to stop him.

He then looked to me, and extended a hand, "I'm Billy, Jacob's father."

I stood up too, extending my hand nervously, "Bella. It's nice to meet you sir."

He gave a curt nod, "Likewise." He then moved to sit in an empty chair. It's funny that I was nervous about meeting Sarah, but Billy, he demanded respect. He clasped his hands in front of him, and looked to Jake, who had taken his seat again, and I did too.

"Well, you've never brought a girl home before. This must be serious," he said, his eyes locking into Jake's.

"Yeah, um, well," Jake started. It was almost amusing to see Jake get flustered, to watch that cocky confidence be brought down, but at the same time, I felt bad for him. I reached my hand under the table, placing my hand on his knee, a simple reassurance that I was with him. He drew in a deep breath then continued, "I'm going to start from the beginning, but I want you to listen to me until I am finished. Please?"

Billy leaned back in his chair, his hands falling in his lap as he gave a nod, "Sure, son."

With that, Jake recounted the whole story, from the trip to Sparrow Grove, to meeting me, the encounter with the vampires, the attack, all the way up to this point, minus the intimate moments.

Billy seemed to consider things for a few minutes, his brow furrowed in thought before he finally said, "Well, for one, you broke the code by telling her."

Jake tried to counter, "But!"

Billy commanded respect with a hand for him to stop, "But, you are right. This is a different time. I trust your judgment, and Bella seems very well adjusted."

I smiled softly, and gave a small shrug, as if to say, "It's nothing."

He continued, "Is there anything else?"

Jake shook his head, "Not really. Just the lingering questions of what we're supposed to do."

Billy stood then, and made his way into the next room. We heard some shuffling, then a few minutes later he returned, carrying a large dusty book. He dropped it on the table, then sat, opening it and then flipping through the pages until he finally stopped. He read the page, turned the page, read the next one, and then turned it again. Finally, he said, "Decapitation is the best way to defeat a vampire."

Jake nodded, "Good to know. How long do you think Alice has?"

Billy sighed, "If she's not already dead? I'm sorry, but not long." He stopped for a brief moment, thinking, then said, "There are rumors of a coven that doesn't feed on humans, but on animals. I don't know if it's true, just that it's a way for them to stay hidden. The rumors were spoken even before our ancestors came to live here. Of course, this is the first time I've ever dealt with a vampire, obviously. I don't know if it is true."

"How would we find them?" The question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

Billy drew his gaze to me, concern playing in his eyes, "You intend to go with my son to defeat them? He is strong, but you wouldn't stand a chance."

I nodded, "I understand, but I will not leave his side."

"Even if it means that he could lose his life because of it? And you?"

I hadn't thought about that.

I looked to Jake, who smiled softly before nodding, "Yes. I will not let her leave my side. I will protect her."

Billy nodded again, "Very well then. In Sparrow Grove there is a rumor of a gentleman they call 'The Fox'. He's a shape shifter. I don't know the whole story, just that well, where you are wolf, he's a fox. I'm not sure where he lives, but maybe you can ask your friend, Jasper, is it?"

Jake nodded, "Yeah." He had already explained to his dad that he would be telling Jasper everything as well, and that he felt that it wouldn't cause any issues. I wasn't quite sure if I agreed, but I hoped he was right.

I learned a lot of the next couple of hours about Jake and his family. Although the general tone was ominous and foreboding, we all tried to keep it as light as possible. Billy explained the legend behind the shape shifting; how for their culture it was believed to be brought on by the presence of vampires. It was all so strange to hear about all these...things that I never would have imagine existed.

Finally, a little before we were supposed to meet the guys, we said our goodbyes to Sarah and Billy, who both looked extremely worried to see us go. I didn't blame them, knowing the dangers we were about to face and the rigorous tasks that lay ahead, but I just knew that I could and would face anything I had to, as long as I had Jacob by my side.


	13. The Fox

**A/N** Well, here's Chapter 13. This story is also over on the sites that I mentioned in the last Chapter.. just in case it ever gets deleted from here.. I may deleted it eventually, so I'd get over to one of the other sites just in case ;)

Also, if you're a writer, check out this contest that I'll be judging!

http:/www(d0t)fanfiction(d0t)net/u/2344145/The_Wolf_and_The_Pack-Hag

And sorry this chappy is kind of short.. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 13  
The Fox

JKPOV

As Bella and I walked hand in hand back towards my cave to meet with the pack, I felt mixed emotions. On one hand, I had my mate, my one and only, and on top of that my parents absolutely adored her as much as I did. On the other hand, everything hung in the balance. Everything we knew was at risk.

Then another thing crossed my mind, "Uh... This totally slipped my mind Bells, but in order for us to travel efficiently, you're gonna have to ride on my back. Is that okay?"

She turned to me, with a smile and answered only in a way a true mate would, "Why wouldn't it be?"

I smiled. Then I made a mental note of how after this was all said and done, I would just enjoy long walks with her forever.

_Forever._ I loved how that sounded.

As we met up with the guys, things got serious. I filled them in on everything.

"So, we have no idea who this 'Fox' guy is?" Except that he's a shapeshifter? Talk about the needle in the fucking haystack," Embry chuckled, though the mood was far from jovial.

I nodded, "I'm hoping Jasper might know something. He's lived in Sparrow Grove his whole life. I imagine there's gotta be a legend or something." Well, I hoped. "So, here's the deal; Embry and Quil, you're coming with us. Seth, you man the fort."

Seth looked severely disappointed, but nodded. He was too young, in my opinion. I imagined he could probably handle himself just fine, but I wasn't willing to risk it. I put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it and looking him in the eyes as I spoke, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, brother, but this is all still very new to you. I don't want to risk it."

Again he nodded, a half-hearted smile played across his lips, "All right."

"Now," I continued, directing my attention toward everyone else, "The first thing we're going to do is go to Sparrow Grove and find this Fox guy. Then from there we'll plan our next move. I know, this plan is sketchy, but I just don't really know what else to do. So let's hope this guy exists, or is still around. I need us to all be as focused as possible."

They all nodded in understanding, even Bella.

"All right then," I said, clapping my hands together, "Let's get this show on the road!"

I gathered up Bella's backpack that the guys had thrown together and handed it to her. As she slipped it on her back and tightened the straps she turned to me with a soft smile, "Ready."

I smiled back and grabbed her by the waist, drawing her into my arms. I brought my lips down to hers for a kiss. Her hands gripped at my shirt and mine cradled her face we kissed like we both needed each other to breathe. And truthfully, that's how I felt. Being without Bella was like suffocating, and I knew if I lost her, I would die.

We were brought out of our moment by the sound a wolf yip, and I wanted to be mad at whoever it was that interrupted us, but I knew I couldn't. After all, there was work to be done, bloodsucking vampires to decapitate, and a brother I had to deliver bad news to.

I kissed my Bella softly one more time, "It's time. Just hang on, close your eyes if it's too fast. We'll be there in no time."

She nodded and spoke softly, "Okay. I love you, Jake."

I slipped out of my clothes, handing them to her to throw in her backpack as I replied back, "I know. I love you too, Bella."

In a flash, I shifted, leaving Bella as the only human standing there. I waited as she put my clothes in her backpack and then walked to me. She ran her hand down my fur before she climbed on my back, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. She held on as I issued a command for the guys to go, leaving Seth to stay behind.

I was glad to see that Bella was taking the trip well. After about 20 minutes I noticed her breathing slowed, indicating that she had fallen asleep. It was probably better that way, since she'd need the most rest out of all of us.

Embry broke into my thoughts, _"How are you gonna break the news to your friend Jasper?"_

I'd been wondering that myself. _"We're gonna have to just go out there and say it. I don't know of any other way. And I'll show him, just like I showed Bella, that shifting is possible. I just don't know what else to tell him, you know? I just don't know."_

They didn't say anything. I assumed they were just as lost as I was on what to tell Jasper. I knew for sure that I couldn't lie to him because if we didn't get to Alice in time, I didn't want to have to explain it then. Not to mention, Jasper was my only other ally who might be able to lead me to this Fox guy. I needed him just as much as he needed me, even though it was a shitty deal, especially for him.

We traveled in silence for most of the trip, none of us really had much to say. By the time we got to the outskirts of Sparrow Grove, it was well into the afternoon. As soon as I stopped moving Bella was awake. She sat up on my back, rubbed her eyes, and then slid off of me, sitting on the ground.

The three of us guys shifted back and dressed. I checked my pocket, making sure Alice's necklace was in there, just like I had placed it. It was. It was eerie how quiet we all were. The tension hung in the air, thick and ominous.

I took Bella's hand into mine and we walked the last quarter mile from the forest, into town. As soon as we cleared the first set of small shops I could see the inn ahead. The dread that settled in my stomach was horrid. I didn't want to do this. My heart was aching for Jasper; for Alice. I kept hoping I would wake up and discover this was all a dream and it was the night after the drinking incident.

As my footsteps hit the wooden steps, the sound resonated loudly, as if to say HEY! I've got some SHITTY news!

I stopped right at the door, inhaling sharply, trying to muster it all at the last second. As I slowly exhaled, I stepped inside, looking around. I wasn't surprised to find the place empty. This time of day didn't usually bring customers. However, the bar was empty as well. The four of us moved to the bar slowly, but didn't bother to sit.

I called out, "Jasper? You here?"

At first it was silent, then I heard movement somewhere in the direction of the kitchen. A few seconds later, the door swung open to reveal Jasper with a giant grin, "Hey bro! Back so..." then his grin faded as his gaze fell upon Bella and then his eyes shot to me. The change in them surprised me. They instantly grew dark; as if he knew something what wrong, "Where's Alice?"

Of course, at this moment, my words caught in my throat. I could see him trying to process what was going on, though he knew practically nothing. His fists clenched at his sides and his teeth grit as he spoke, this time enunciating his words slowly, "Jake. Where. Is. My. Sister?"

It was Bella who answered, "She's gone Jasper. She's been taken."

I'd never seen Jasper angry, but that didn't surprise me. What caught me off guard were his next words as the anger in his face softened just a little, the rational, calm, cool, and collected Jasper took over as he looked straight at me and said, "It was those filthy bloodsuckers, wasn't it?"

I just stared at Jasper then, the most confounded look on my face, I'm sure. When I didn't answer, he said, "Well?"

I nodded, my head now spinning in confusion, "How do you know about vampires, Jasper?"

He didn't quite answer how I expected, "I also know what you are Jake." He then nodded towards Quil and Embry, "All of you."

"Well, spit it out then. How do you know?

He chuckled softly, "Let's just say it takes one to know one."

I'm not sure my eyes could bug out of my head much more as it hit me, "_You're _the Fox?"

He cringed, "Please don't call me that. I hate that name."

I smirked, "Yeah, it is kind of... lame."

He smirked back and I was glad to see that Jasper was taking this well.

Then I continued, "How did I not know that you shift too?"

"I'm a telepath too. I heard it in your thoughts. I also haven't shifted in years, so it probably threw you off? I don't really know, Jake."

_Oh great, so not only can my pack read my mind while I'm shifted, Jazz can read it while I'm human._

"Yes, I can."

_Dammit._

He chuckled, "Sorry. I really do try to refrain from reading your thoughts. Everyone else is fair game though."

I nodded, "I appreciate it. What about Alice? Is she a shifter?"

"No, she's not. I'm going to tell you everything I know, as quickly as possible since we're on a strained time frame. Hopefully it'll answer all your questions. Then we have to discuss how we're going to save Alice, before its too late."

**JASPOV**

I don't remember the first time I shifted. I was young, a toddler from what my parents told me. However, I always remember the story.

My mom always laughs when she tells it, the crinkles around her eyes reminding me of how light hearted she always is, "Well, we thought that a fox had come in and eaten you! I was screaming and crying, and your father had gone to get his axe from the basement. Suddenly, you were _you_ again. And you were just a giggling and cooing away."

That was when she learned about my father's heritage.

My great great... okay so really great grandpa, the last one of my family that lived on Ancient Earth, was a scientist. He dealt mainly with genetics and he was fascinated in trying to force genetic mutations to create super humans. Humans with abilities. He experimented on all of his kids without any results. He even left Earth and came here, but his experiments ended because of lack of funding and equipment.

And for all those generations nothing ever happened. Then I was born, and somewhere in my genetic code, something went wrong and now I am, what I am.

I don't just shift into a fox, I can shift into virtually anything. Apparently the same day I shifted into a fox for the first time we had been outside in the garden and a fox had been trying to eat the produce. Between the ages of 5 and 10 I learned to control my shifting. My parents home schooled me, trying to keep my secret hidden from everyone except the family.

Alice doesn't shift. For whatever reason she didn't get the gene like I did. However, she was always supportive of me, making me feel less of a freak. When I turned twelve my parents made me start learning to defend myself. They taught me how to use all sorts of weaponry. Then I was surprised to discover that behind the fridge and below the tavern there was a basement, full of weapons.

That's when they told me about other supernatural beings; vampires, werewolves, and everything else you could possibly think about. They had never encountered any of these beings, they said, but they believed wholly in the fact that they did exist and that we should always be prepared. Not to mention in order to survive on this world we had to eat, and to eat, we had to know how to hunt.

By sixteen I'd had it. I refused to undergo anymore training. I quit shifting. All I wanted was to be normal. For some reason, after I quit shifting, I started mind reading. It was like I unlocked another ability by shutting off one. I never told anyone though, the last thing I needed was for my family to find another reason to train me. I did train myself though. I practiced on people that came into the tavern; reading their thoughts, their desires.

Sometimes I'd fuck with them. They'd think about wanting to order a beer, or a water, and I'd bring it to them before they'd ask. I often found it amusing to mess with their heads. I tried to keep from reading Alice's mind and the minds of my parents. Talk about sick and twisted shit.

When Jake first entered the tavern I knew what he was, because he had been thinking about shifting. I sensed no harm or hostility from him, so I never found it necessary to tell anyone what he was.

Then the vampires came, and immediately I knew what they were, except I couldn't read their minds. Their minds were blank. That's why I couldn't determine their motives. Then I overheard Jake tell them to leave, and they left, but I was wrong about that. Because I couldn't read their minds, I'd had no idea. And because I'd sworn to stay out of Jake's head, I hadn't seen it through him either. I'd made a huge mistake; one that might cost me one of the most important people in my life; Alice.

BPOV

Listening to Jasper's story had fascinated us all. By the time he was done, I _really_ felt like the odd one out. I had nothing to contribute to this group. _I _was the freak.

Then Jake spoke, "We're gonna get her back, man. I promise."

Jasper nodded, "I hope you're right."

Then Jake quickly retold the events that had taken place with the fight and the abduction. He apologized, "I'm sorry I couldn't save her."

He nodded, "I understand. You had to make a choice. If it had been me, I would've saved Alice and left Bella. I don't blame you."

"Thanks," Jake said, reaching across the table to pat Jasper on the shoulder, "As long as I've known you, it has been like having another brother."

"Same here," he responded. "Now, let's formulate a plan."

An hour later we had come up with a plan. First, we would venture to where Embry and Quil had followed the vampires, for a sign of where they might be headed, and we would follow their trail. It was the best plan we could come with for the time being.

"If you're coming Jazz, you're gonna need to shift," Jake said. I had wondered how Jasper would handle having to shift again.

"I know. For Alice, I'd do anything. Question is, what should I shift into?"

"Well, you said you can shift into pretty much anything, what about a wolf? Then you'd be part of the pack."

He smirked, "Birds of a feather... I suppose that's good enough."

"Only problem is, I don't know if you'll be able to read our minds when shifted."

"I'll deal."

The four guys laughed softly as it had been decided. We ventured to the weaponry where Jasper found a pack that he loaded with smaller weapons and some food. He then turned to me and asked, "When I shift, can you secure this to my back?"

I nodded, "Sure. But what do we need the weapons for?"

"They're more for you than us. Here." He handed me a knife, the blade was about the length of my hand, and was sheathed in a black leather. "Hold onto this one for now."

I looked at him, eyes wide, "I have no idea how to really defend myself."

"You're not a damsel, Bella. Just by being here, you've proved that. You shouldn't need it because at this point, they're outnumbered, but carry it anyways. It'll give us all peace of mind."

I answered softly, "Okay."

After packing the bag we all headed upstairs where Jasper wrote his parents a note and then he shut down the tavern and inn. Apparently no one had been staying there since the festival ended, so it was easy for him to just close up everything. Then we headed back into the forest, opposite of where we had come in, down the same path Alice and I had left on only a couple of days before.

It had been a total of about 5 days, and already I'd met the man of my dreams, lost my best friend to vampire abduction, and now I was embarking on a journey where I had to wield a knife. If we all survived, I'd have one hell of a story to tell my grandkids.


	14. The Quest Begins

**A/N: Okay, so I know that this is WAYYYYYYY OVERDUE! :( Please forgive me, but for some reason this story has not been talking to me. On top of that I have been so busy with school and personal life that I haven't been able to write as much as I would like. **

**Also, my chapters may be shorter (like this one) from now on. I spend so much effort trying to write chapters between 6-10 pages that sometimes I get frustrated, but if I can break them up into shorter bits, maybe it won't take me so long to update.**

**This is where the adventure really begins for the pack and Bella on their search for Alice.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the story line.  
**

Chapter 14

The Quest Begins

JASPOV

We stepped out back of the Inn, the least likely place for people to see us. It was late afternoon, but still sunny out as though everything was good and right in the world. Except that it wasn't. It was far from good and right in the world. Vampires had somehow made it to us, and they had my sister. It was surprising that they never made it over from Habrigdon sooner. It was difficult to speculate why they were here now, but whatever the reason, I suspected it wasn't good.

Jake had been lucky enough to take down one of them, but we still had two more. Hell, we didn't know what they were doing. For all we knew, they could be building an army. I shuddered at that thought. Killing two vampires would be hard enough, but an army?

Jake was hugging Bella tightly to him. I saw his reasoning in wanting to keep her at his side, but at the same time I feared for all of us. Bella was only human. She didn't have any special powers, and I feared that this might distract Jake. I could only hope his role as pack leader would remind him about the bigger picture; bigger than his love for Bella, and my concern for Alice. We had to eliminate the vampires.

Finally Jake cleared his throat, "Let's get this bitch moving." He looked at me, "When you shift, are you gonna look exactly like one of us?"

I shook my head, "I can, but I've learned to modify the details as I shift so I'm not an exact copy. And I'll still be able to read your mind, so just keep me informed about what's going on."

He nodded, "Of course." He slapped a hand to my back, squeezing my shoulder, "We'll get her back. And we'll take these fucking leeches down too."

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips, "Hell yeah we will."

With that, Jake kissed Bella one more time as we moved toward the tree line for cover. Bella turned her back courteously, as every one stripped down. One by one I watched the guys shift into their forms, taking note of each of their individualities. Jake was by far the largest, very obviously the pack leader. When they finished, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. In my mind I could see my form, about the same size as the other pack members, my fur a sandy blond, much like my own hair color. When I opened my eyes, I was staring eye level with the rest of the pack.

"Whoa," I heard Embry say, "That's insane."

"Nice choice," Jake said, a nod of the head my way.

I issued a nod back, "Thanks."

"What the..." Jake started, "I can hear you!"

"What? How is that even possible?"

"I think you've just become part of the pack," Jake said, the curiosity swirling in his voice. "I don't know how, but I can say something feels different."

"Yeah," Quil chimed in, "The pack feels complete now. Like you were meant to be part of it all along."

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this. All my life I had thought I was a freak in a lot of ways. I'd never made any friends as good as what I had with Jake. In many ways, he was like a brother to me.

"Welcome home brother," Jake said. "You're where you belong."

I smiled, because it was true. Even with the turmoil going on around us, this sudden merging had filled something inside of me, and I did feel like I belonged.

Bella moved over to climb onto Jake's back. She smiled at me, her eyes full of sympathy. However, the fear that was in them was also apparent. She should be scared. She should be worried. What we were about to face was far worse than anything any of us could ever imagine. I was afraid to think it, but it was possible that some of us might not survive.

JKPOV

"Keep your chin up, baby doll," I said as I hugged Bella tightly to me. "We'll get through this, and when we're done, our life will truly begin."

She squeezed me tightly, breathing me in, "I'm so scared, Jake."

"I know baby. I am too. I just need you to be strong." I kissed the top of her head, then she lifted her eyes to meet mine. Already, my heart was breaking. I could see how scared she was, but how hard she was fighting to not be. I leaned down and pressed a kiss against her lips softly, trying to squash her fears. When I released her she pulled her arms from around me, placing her hands against my chest. I took them into mine and held them over my heart, "You've given me every reason to live, and every reason to fight. We're going to be fine. I love you."

She smiled and then nodded, "I love you too." She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly before saying, "I'm ready."

I cleared my throat, turning to the guys, "Let's get this bitch moving!"

I spoke with Jazz briefly about what we should expect with his shift. Then, we gathered under the cover of the trees and began shifting.

Jazz was last, as he watched the rest of us, studying our form and movement. Finally, he closed his eyes and his change happened. When he was done, he stood before us, lean, sandy blond fur and the same sapphire eyes.

It was weird. In that moment after Jazz's shift, something felt different. I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Embry seemed quite impressed, "Whoa. That's insane."

I too agreed, "Nice choice."

Jasper nodded and then his voice broke through to me, catching me off guard as he said, "Thanks."

"What the... I can hear you!"

This was definitely odd. But suddenly, it made sense. The change I felt when Jasper shifted was him becoming part of the pack. I remember feeling it the first time Quil changed and joined the pack. With Embry it wasn't as noticeable, and with Seth it was even less noticeable. The only thing I could conclude from that was that maybe because Jasper was a multi-shifter, his presence was different.

Jasper said something else, and sure enough, we could all communicate.

"Welcome home brother," I said.

But something even weirder was happening. Not only could I hear Jasper, but I could feel him too. But not in the same sense as normal. I could sit here all day and think about how much I love Bella, and the guys could see it in my mind, but they could never truly know how I feel.

But I could _feel_ Jasper. I could _feel_ every little emotion that flooded through him the moment he realized what was happening. The first thing he thought was about how lonely he used to be. And the sadness he felt when thinking about how alone he had been, washed over me so intensely that I gasped.

"What the fuck is going on?" Quil yelped, "Jasper! What are you doing?"

Jasper looked at us, and his mood changed. Now, the sense of belonging, of utter and complete happiness showered us, penetrating to the core of us.

Embry started laughing uncontrollably at the bliss radiating through him.

I looked to Jasper, "You don't realize what you're doing, do you?"

Jasper looked at me, "What are you talking about?"

"I can feel you, Jasper. What you're feeling right now; that bliss? We can all feel it."

A twinge of fear crept in all of us at that moment, then a sense of calm, "You can feel my emotions? Is that normal?"

I shook my head, "Normally, we can see how we feel but the actual feeling isn't portrayed. Here, I want to test something."

Jasper nodded, "Okay."

I imagined myself with Bella as we shared our first kiss in the rain. Not a moment later I felt the love I was feeling swell, as if it were rolling in waves, and I heard the guys gasp.

"Jake, this is totally wigging me out man," Quil said.

"Next one," I said. This time, I imagined the waterfall, but without Bella there. Just peaceful, quiet serenity. Then, everyone was calm. I smiled, realizing how beneficial this could be for us, "Jasper, you can control emotions."

He didn't say anything for a moment, but his mood was calm, "Wow, this is all so weird."

"Have you never noticed it before?"

"Now that I think about it," he continued, "I used to shift, and scare people for the hell of it. And sometimes I'd think about how scared I'd want them to be, and they would be that scared. But I never really thought about it."

"Well, this can be both beneficial to us and dangerous. You have to do your best to keep it in check," I said.

He nodded.

By now, Bella had climbed onto my back, but had not said anything. She was stroking my fur, just waiting for us to go. "Let's get out of here. Once we start moving Jazz, do me a favor, focus your energy on Bella. Try to make her sleepy so that she can get some rest. It may take some practice, but that's what we're going to do as we travel. I think that it could be beneficial. I'm also definitely curious to see whether or not you can control the emotions of those bloodsuckers.

"I hadn't thought about that," Jasper replied, his excitement boiling beneath the surface.

We started moving through the woods swiftly. We stayed off the main path, following the stench of the bloodsuckers. It was faint in the air , but I could still smell it.

Jasper ran to the right of me, and I could feel him focusing his energy on Bella. The feeling of fatigue was faint to all of us, a sign that he was exerting his energies to making Bella sleepy while trying to keep us uneffected. It wasn't long before I felt her drift off on my back.

"Good job," I encouraged Jasper.

We moved swiftly and quietly through the trees, a sense of urgency and anxiousness was apparent in all of us. Jasper used this as an opportunity, sending waves of calm through the pack. As we came up upon the area where I had found Bella the night before, we slowed to a stop. The carriage was still there, abandoned. Eventually, someone would come along to retrieve it, or it would be scavenged for parts.

The nights' events passed through my head like a movie, and Jasper saw it all first hand. I felt guilty as I could sense the anger he was trying to hide. He may not have been angry with me, but he was angry nonetheless.

I sniffed around a bit, "Do you guys remember where you followed them?"

"Yeah."

"Show me," I ordered.

We continued running, Embry projected the images like a map in my head until we had run another half hour. The stench of the vampires was stronger now, combined with the scent of smoke. Ahead, I could see a billowy mass rising from the ground.

"Alice!" Jasper cried.

We all stopped, looking to the burning embers.

I sniffed the air, searching for any sign of Alice in the remains.

Nothing.

"I don't think she's here," I said.

Jasper agreed, but the panic beneath his exterior was apparent, "I don't sense her either. I'm not sure whether to be relieved or not."

"It could mean she's still alive," I offered, trying to make him feel better. No one said anything, but we all thought about the 'other' alternative to her being alive. "We keep moving."

The stench was stronger here; a hopeful sign that we weren't far behind.

**Leave some love... it is almost Christmas after all! :)**


	15. Raita

**A/N: I am sooooo sorry it has taken so long to get this going again.. Life just really got in the way. However, I have GREAT news. I have the next 3 chapters written, just have to beta and such.. and I'll post them about a week apart.. who knows.. maybe sooner if you leave some love. Sadly, there are only 4 chapters left until this tale ends... it has been a long journey.. but it is time for this story to conclude..**

**Enjoy Chapter 15.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**And as always... I own nothing.. SM gets that honor.**

Chapter 15

Raita

APOV

"Alice!" I hear a singsong voice calling my name. "Alice! Come find me!"

I giggle as I open my eyes, and then squint as the sun glares back at me. I'm lying on my back, grass all around me, and there's the sound of running water. I sit up and look around. I recognize this place; it's behind the Inn in Sparrow Grove where I grew up. I see a small lake ahead, a waterfall pours into it. I see my mom, washing clothes. She always preferred to do them in the lake because it was "more peaceful."

"C'mon Alice!" I hear the voice again. It's Jasper's voice. Quickly, I pull myself to my feet.

"Jasper?" I'm surprised to hear my voice; it sounds so tiny. Then I look at my hands, which are also tiny; a child's hands. Is this a dream? It feels so real. I feel like this should bother me, but it doesn't. I feel so happy. I squint and look to the place where the field ends and the forest begins. I see a flash of blonde hair move between trees.

I run towards it as I laugh jovially, "I'm coming Jasper," I singsong back to him in the same voice he used to taunt me.

As I break through the tree line, I look for him. I tiptoe quietly around trees, trying to catch him off guard. However, Jasper was always better at this game than I was. From further in the forest he calls for me again, and I follow the sound of his voice.

Ahead of me I see his blonde head duck behind a tree. I smile to myself, pretending that I didn't see him and I call, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

I creep up to the tree he is hiding behind, holding my breath as I jump around from the front of the tree. "GOTCHA!"

I expect to see Jasper's bright smile waiting for me there, and then he would say, "Good job kid; I didn't even know you were behind the tree." I always knew that if I had been lucky enough to find him, it was because he had let me.

But Jasper isn't behind the tree this time. I turn a full circle, looking around. I can't see the field anymore, and the canopy formed by the trees is so thick, I can't see the sky either. How far had I come into the forest? I am not sure.

"Jasper?" I call, my voice sounding as frightened as my body suddenly feels. I call out to him again, this time, his name catching in my throat as tears form in my eyes. Certainly Jasper will come looking for me. Right?

I try to call out for Jasper again but my voice is caught in my throat from choking back the oncoming sobs.

_Crack._

I freeze.

From behind me, I hear another.

_Crack._

I take a step back, pressing myself flat against the tree. A few feet away, another cracking resounds in my ear, closer this time.

"Aaaalice," a voice whispers. A voice, that isn't Jasper's.

I close my eyes tight, tears streaming down my cheeks. In my mind I chant, "It's just a dream Alice. It can't hurt you, it's just a dream."

"Aaaalice," the voice calls again, except this time its close, and I can feel the breath on my neck. It is cold, like the dead breath of a corpse.

My fight or flight kicks in, and I flee. I pick a direction and run. I run and run, but I can still hear the voice, still feel the breath on my neck.

"Wake up Alice," I scream in my head. "Wake up!"

The voice comes again, hissing in my ear, "I'm gonna kill you Alice."

I jolted from my slumber, the sound of my screams bringing me to reality. As I gasped for air I thought, "Nightmare. Just a nightmare."

It took me only a moment for that brief relief to flee from my mind as I realized I had awoken from a nightmare to find myself in another one. A few feet away from me stood the nightmare I had been running from.

Nightmares.

"Hello Alice," the terrifying voice that I had heard in my dream said, "Welcome back."

It only took a moment for everything to come rushing back again. Where I was, who or more so, what I was with, and what would inevitably happen to me. Bella was gone, probably dead, and I was stuck with these, _monsters__._

I heard the other voice come from across the room, or, wherever I was, "I know you're enjoying this Em, but we need a plan."

"Hah, fuck your plan Edward. It's your fault we are in this situation anyways. If you'd just left well enough alone like I, like _Rose_ and I had asked; she'd still be alive and we wouldn't be hiding out."

The other one, Edward, growled, "Yes, I know Emmett, you'll never forgive me for what happened. I hadn't counted on that, _wolf_, being so hung up on a human. I mean really, what would a fleabag like that want with an expendable human?"

"You seemed to want her bad enough to risk our lives. Hell, you even sacrificed one. You think they'll come after this one?" He motioned towards me, and I cringed as his eyes grazed me abrasively.

Edward nodded curtly, "I'm almost counting on it. The bond between the wolf and the other shifter was too strong. They'll come for her."

_Wolf? The other shifter? _It was possible the other shifter they were talking about was Jasper. I was also wishing that I had spent more time allowing my parents to train me. However, they had never encountered a vampire, so I figured I never would either.

"Well," Emmett said as he slid next to me. He took my face into his large hands, turning it both ways to look at me. I shivered through and through with fear.

_Hold it together, _I thought to myself.

Edward laughed mockingly, "Hold it together! Hold it together!"

Then he and Emmett exploded into uncontrollable laughter, a sound that was enormous and terrifying. It echoed off the surfaces where we were hidden, which I had deduced was quite possibly a cave.

"I guess," Emmett continued, "That we'll have to make sure they are not disappointed with what they find."

BPOV

I don't know how long I slept, but when I awoke, we were no longer moving. I was lying on the ground curled up next to a fully formed human Jake, his arm wrapped around me protectively.

"You're awake," he said with a smile.

I nodded, "Yeah. Where are we?"

"We're almost to Raita," he said as he leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead, "We're resting for a little bit, then going to continue. Are you hungry? You should probably eat."

My stomach gurgled in response to his question and I chuckled, "Guess I am."

He reached into his pack and pulled out some of the provisions we had gathered before leaving Sparrow Grove. He produced for me, some bread and cheese, and a bottle of spring water.

I ate like I had never had such an amazing sandwich in my life. I guess I had not realized how hungry I was.

The rest of the pack was seated with us, all in a circle. They were all finishing up food as well, and talk was limited. They were discussing Jasper's ability to manipulate the emotions of others. It appeared now he could even do so when in human form.

Jasper looked distraught and right beneath the surface we could all feel it, though he was trying to control it. He was trying his best to hold it together, but I couldn't blame him. It was his sister, my best friend, who was gone. We didn't know if she was alive or worse, whether or not she was being tortured to death.

It wasn't long before Jake was on his feet again, "Let's wrap it up guys. We have to keep moving. I don't know how close we are, but I don't want to lose the trail."

Jasper stood too, packing up the bag of provisions before handing it to me to carrying. He smiled at me, but the smile didn't spread to the rest of his face.

My heart ached for him, and I did the only thing I could think of, and reached out, wrapping my arms around him tightly. He froze for a moment, stiff and rigid in my arms, and then relaxed slightly, his arms reaching around me as well, returning the sentiment.

"We'll get her back Jasper," I whispered against him. "I know we will."

He gave me a slight squeeze, then we released and I stepped back. This time he smiled, and it was a little more sincere. "Thanks Bella," he said, his southern drawl sounding so much sadder than a few days ago when he had first spoken to me. "Alice was…is lucky to have a friend like you."

"Nothing like having a big brother like you," I said.

They finished getting ready, and I turned my back again while they shifted. Then I gathered their clothes, packed them into my bag, and climbed back on to Jake's back.

I couldn't sleep this time, so I just held on. The miles passed us and sometime later, when the sun was slowly coming over the trees ahead, I saw a little puff of smoke, sign of life.

Jake slowed and the other wolves followed. When he stopped, he nodded for me to climb off. I did, and almost immediately he shifted.

Through all the stress of this ordeal, I still found it painfully difficult not to stare at Jake's nude form. In a time when I should have been scared, my girly bits were tingling while staring at his perfectly sculpted body right in front of me.

I removed the clothing for all of the others out of the bag and then turned my back while they dressed.

Jake talked while they got ready, "We will walk the rest of the way. I believe we are pretty close to town, or some sort of civilization. Remember, we have to keep our guard up. The vampire stench is close. Jasper, keep your emotions in check. I can feel them even now."

"Do you smell Alice?" I asked, hopeful.

Jake's eyes dropped, "No. I haven't for a while." I watched him glance toward Jasper, "But that doesn't mean anything. Their smell can be so off putting sometimes…" he trailed off.

A twig snapping in the forest had all of them jerking their heads in the direction.

Jake stepped in front of me, "Who's there?"

A figure came wandering through the trees slowly, "I should be asking you the same thing. This is private property you know."

Having only seen three vampires in my life, I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I knew without a doubt that this _being_ was not human; not anymore. He appeared young, blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, wearing a long white coat with flecks and specks of different fluids, some possibly even blood. I placed my hand around the handle of the dagger, holding it tightly.

All of the wolves had bowed up slightly, but none had attacked.

The man held his hands up, "Now, now," he said. "No need to be twitchy."

"You're one of them," Jake said through gritted teeth. "You're a bloodsucker." Jake took a step forward, ready to pounce.

"Jake wait," Jasper said his voice barely above a whisper; even so I could hear the astonishment in his tone.

"For what? For him to call his other bloodsucker buddies to pick us off? Don't think so."

"No," Jasper said again, "I..I know this man. This is the man who introduced the shifter gene into my family line. This is my great great great… really great grandfather."


	16. The Man in the White Lab Coat

**A/N: I meant to post this one a week ago, however, two weeks is a much shorter wait than 6 months, hehe. Here we continue, with the quest! Things are getting very hairy around here... hmm**

**I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month so I won't have much time to work on the last chapter.. however.. that's still a few chapters away anyways..**

**I'm sorry for those of you who had to read the last chapter without the quotations. Somehow they didn't come up and I didn't catch it until a couple of reviews complained. Very very sorry, it was not intentional. **

**Enjoy.**

**As always, I own nothing. All characters belong to SM.**

Chapter 16

The Man in the White Lab Coat

JKPOV

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked Jasper, not taking my eyes off the vampire in front of us.

The monster before us stood about six feet tall with white blonde hair, golden eyes, and a well-toned build, from what I could tell. He looked like a gentle man, but that didn't change what he was. He was a vampire; the same type of monster that had taken Alice and tried to kill Bella.

The man stared at Jasper, his eyes fairly inquisitive for a dead man. "Your great what?"

"Grandfather. Well, greater than just great," Jasper said, his voice barely above a whisper. "At least I think you are."

"I think you may be mistaken," he said.

Jasper shook his head, "No. I've seen photos of you in our family history. You were a geneticist who introduced the shifter gene into our families."

"How do you know that?" he asked..

I watched him slowly. The man before us appeared both curious and uneasy.

"It's in our family history. You injected your children with the gene and even some of their children, hoping that it would create a mutation to allow shapeshifting. Am I right?"

The man studied Jasper for a few moments before nodding slowly, "Yes. I tried unsuccessfully with my own family so I started work on others. I became a vampire after my last child moved away from home. I was 40. I have been working diligently to find a way to create a shifter, but I have still had no luck. A few of my test trials died from the process as well."

I felt Bella's hand tighten on my shirt behind me.

"Would it satisfy you to know that you succeeded?" Jasper asked, this time stepping forward. "Your work has not been in vain."

He looked confused, "I know that these men are wolf shifters. Certainly they are not part of my genetic experiments."

Jasper shook his head, "No. I'm talking about myself. I can shift, at will, into any animal that I had been in contact with."

His brow furrowed, "I do not appreciate being toyed with."

"He's telling the truth," I chimed in, still not convinced this man was to be trusted.

"I do not believe you," he said this time, shaking his head. "I don't know who told you about what I do, I am practically alone out here. I suggest you leave before I take care of you in a way I haven't done in a very long time."

"Let me show you," Jasper said. "What would you like to see? I can shift into a wolf like them, or something else."

He seemed to think on it a moment, "So you say you mimic the properties of any animal you come in contact with?"

Jasper nodded.

"If I find you a creature, you will show me then?"

Jasper nodded again.

The vampire disappeared almost instantly, leaving us standing there, vulnerable and alone. I wrapped my arms around Bella, and the rest of the boys tightened the formation around us.

Moments later he reappeared cradling something in his hand, what appeared to be a common field mouse.

"Here," the man said holding out the tiny grey mouse.

Jasper stepped forward and took the mouse from the man's hands, holding it. Then he handed it back. He took a step back and removed his clothing, then shifted, in front of us all, into a tiny little field mouse.

The vampire saw this and his jaw dropped open. Then, it closed and broke out into a wide smile and he cried out, "Brilliant! I don't believe it."

Jasper shifted back, pulling on his clothes. "You see? Your work has not been in vain. I am what you have been trying to succeed all of this time."

"Yes, you are. Amazing," he said, still smiling. He laughed and reached out shaking Jasper's hand, "It's a wonderful day! I am sorry to have doubted you. Please, let me ask you to join me for dinner. There is so much I want to know."

I stiffened, "I don't think that to be wise."

The man looked at me, "Oh how foolish of me. Where are my manners? Please, you can call me Carlisle."

I wasn't convinced, but Jasper seemed calm enough. His calmness was emanating over us. I didn't trust the man, that was for sure, but we outnumbered him. If I took out one of his kind by myself, another one with the pack would be easy as pie.

I nodded, "Jake."

The roll call continued, and even when Bella spoke her name, Carlisle seemed un-phased by the fact she was human. I thought this was peculiar.

We followed the man back to a fairly small cabin surrounded by a large wrought iron fence. Small as it was, it seemed to be a fortress and the smoke we had seen was rising from his chimney. Carlisle led us into his home after securing the front gate with a large lock. He placed the key in his pocket.

"Lots of monsters out in the woods," he said with a laugh. "I prefer to keep trespassers away."

I was not sure how all of us were going to fit into this house until he ushered us to a door, "This really is just a front, my entire house is underground."

Sure enough, we descended down a staircase that led to a completely furnished and large abode. We entered in what I would describe to be a living room.

"Make yourself at home," Carlisle said, "I am sure you are hungry. I will make dinner."

Jasper nodded, "That would be great." He followed Carlisle to the kitchen, while Bella and I sat down on a couch. Quil and Embry joined us as well, sitting on the floor.

It was times like this where I wish our pack mind worked without being shifted. I expressed my concern through my thoughts with Jasper, but of course I could not hear his response. I could feel how he felt though, something that had been carried from his integration into the pack; I could feel his emotions whether I was shifted or in my human form. Jasper felt strangely calm. I hoped that he took my concerns seriously, but I think he was blinded by the fact that this was his family. I suppose he thought that maybe this vampire could help us find the others and find Alice.

We sat mostly in silence while Jasper stayed with Carlisle in the kitchen.

"Do you think we are safe?" Quil asked quietly.

I shrugged, not really sure, "For now I guess." It really was a lie, but I didn't need the vampire becoming suspicious.

More silence passed until footsteps rang down the hall to where we were, "Hey, it's almost done," Jasper said.

He moved closer to me, "I understand your concerns, Jake. I really think we are safe. I asked him if he knew anything about the other vampires, and he thinks he may be able to help us."

"Sure," I said as I stood, helping Bella to her feet. We followed Jasper down the hallway to a fairly large kitchen. For a dead guy, he sure did have a ton of kitchen space, including a large table with eight chairs.

"Have a seat," Carlisle said, nodding to the table. "It isn't much, just some rabbit stew."

We sat and waited as Carlisle put bowls in front of us. Then he sat at the head of the table, watching us.

"So, Jasper tells me that you guys are tracking some vampires."

I nodded, "Yeah, they took his sister. They also tried to kill Bella."

"I haven't noticed any activity in this area, but I may be of some help. Even though I consider myself strictly a 'vegetarian' vampire, meaning I don't drink human blood, that doesn't mean I can't help you. Though these vampires do not follow a strict code to stay hidden, they are still vampires. If they come here, they will seek me out. It's our nature to find our kind, even if it's just for a short time."

"So what are you saying?" Jasper asked.

"I'm saying that if they come here I will try to find the whereabouts of your sister."

I huffed, "What good does that do? She may be dead by then."

Bella squeezed my leg, a warning.

"It is certainly all I can offer. I would like to make a request to Jasper as well."

He nodded, "Anything."

"I would like to take a sample of your blood. It may help me figure out a way to create more shifters."

"Certainly."

"Wait," I objected, "Why is it so important that you create more shifters?"

"Well why not? Do you think that just because you are naturally a wolf that you are somehow special?"

"I did not ask to become what I am. I became this way because of the presence of vampires in our society." This man was seriously starting to piss me off.

He held up his hands in defense, "I am sorry. I did not mean to offend. But if you could have it one way which would it be, shifters or vampires?"

I opened my mouth to respond then stopped. He had a point, even if he was a vampire. I would much rather him be trying to find a way to create shifters than vampires, though I still felt strongly about his decision regardless.

I finished my bowl of stew, setting it aside and clasping my hands together, "I still wish to know your intention of why you want to create shifters."

"Well, back on Ancient Earth, humans had an obsession with genetics. Comic books and movies stressed superheroes and mutants with extraordinary powers. In my earliest research I had no idea that vampires, werewolves, shifters, or even other types of supernatural beings existed. It wasn't until I was in my mid-thirties that I discovered vampires were real. I met a woman, Esme, who promised to turn me after my last son had left home, but I was to fake my own death. For the sake of my research, I did this. My family mourned, but soon they moved on with their lives. I watched from a distance but none of them ever seemed to take the genetic change. Within a few years the exodus began and I was separated from my family. For a certain amount of money vampires were transported off Ancient Earth, and I was lucky enough to go. Esme too went, though she and I went our separate ways once we reached here. I've been here for years. I started out with the small cabin we entered, but I dug out this place myself. And then I continued my research. It's all I've ever wanted to do, was create a race of shifters, super beings."

"It's forced evolution," I argued. Everyone else at the table just stared.

"Who's to say Jasper didn't shift without the extra gene?" He rebounded.

"Maybe he would have, but you would never know, since you altered his genes in the first place."

Jasper piped in, "Jake.."

"No," I said. "I'm sorry but I find this inhumane. Do these people volunteer to have their bodies tested?"

"Yes," Carlisle said calmly.

"I don't believe you."

He shrugged, "That's fine, but I assure you, it's all consensual."

"I just find it hard to believe people would volunteer to be your guinea pig."

He chuckled, "Quite the contrary. Tell someone they could be a superhero and they'll do just about anything." He then changed the subject, "Come now! This is still a time for celebration don't you think? How was the food? Are you satisfied?"

I looked at Quil, Embry, Bella, and Jasper, all of whom were staring back, eyes heavy lidded.

Bella yawned.

"Are you okay?" I asked, wrapping my arm around her.

She nodded and spoke, her words drawn out, "I'm sleepy."

I noticed too that I was now feeling slightly drowsy as well. I tried to stand to wake myself, but found that I couldn't move. "What the…"

"You see, most of my subjects do in fact volunteer," I heard Carlisle say, but his voice was far away. "But sometimes, an opportunity just comes along that you can't pass up. I've never had the opportunity to examine blood such as yours, Jake. Sure, Jasper is an amazing specimen; his blood may hold the key I need to make other shifters, or better, vampire shifter hybrids. But what if I could create werepires? What kind of wonders does your blood hold?"

I heard him laugh, it was shrill and maniacal. It was possibly the most terrifying thing I had heard in my entire life.

"Of course, this night wouldn't be complete without a family reunion either."

I heard two more sets of footsteps approaching, then one voice, "I can't believe they fell for it."

I didn't recognize this voice, but the second one; I could have picked it out of a crowd of shouting people during a thunderstorm.

"Of course they would. Sob story about how his sacrifice to be a vampire was to create what he believes to be a better world. And of course he promised to help him find the girl. Her brother of course would have believed it all, even if the filthy mutt leader didn't. All that matters is he did it, and we will finally get what we want."

It was Edward.


	17. Capture

**Well, here we are again... This story is coming to a close.. only 3 more chapters I think? Maybe 2? It's at least two. I will be glad to put this story to rest. Looking back, I still like the idea, but I would do things a little differently, perhaps. Maybe not? lol Well, here it is.. enjoy.**

**MM**

Chapter 17

Capture

JKPOV

"This wasn't part of the deal Carlisle," a voice said, pulling me from my induced slumber. "She is mine, not yours to toy with and experiment on."

A cackle escaped from the mad scientist, "Well, plans change. When you told me that she was the only mind you couldn't read, well, I found this just as fascinating. Don't you wonder why? Plus, I need a human to test my theories on. If I give her the blood of Jasper, will she shift? Obviously we could make her a vampire, but would his blood work the same way? Of course there are some added features to help aid in the process; perhaps make it more successful."

"No," I heard the other voice, which I knew to be bloodsucker Edward's. "She. Is. Mine."

"You'll get her, when I'm done with her," he said sternly. "Now, go fetch Emmett; I have an errand for the both of you."

I heard him leave the room and I lay there quietly, listening to Carlisle tinker with things. I opened one eye just a bit, trying to see where I was.

"Ahh, nice of you to join us wolf," he said. Though his back was turned to me, he must have sensed that I was awake.

I tried to lift my wrists, only to find that I was restrained. I also felt different. I felt weak and powerless.

He turned, holding a syringe in his hand as he smiled, a grin that spread ear to ear, but in the most menacing way. "You see, I wondered if the sedative would work on your kind. I certainly knew it would on the girl, but a pack of shapeshifters? Supernatural creatures such as us are always affected differently by human medicines. Once the first dose knocked you out, I pumped all of you with enough to put down a herd of cattle." He pressed on the syringe, a little liquid seeping from the needle.

The liquid in the needle was red, like blood, but also had silver flecks in it, something I was not familiar with.

"You son of a bitch. When I get off this table, I'm going to rip your fucking throat out," I growled as he took a step closer to me.

"There's only one problem with that logic. You see, while you were out I injected you with another one of my little concoctions. It's basically drained you of all your strength. You cannot shift, and you are weak. Am I right? I mean, otherwise you would have easily ripped away your restraints." He motioned to the right of me and my eyes followed.

A bag hung above me and a line came from it, all the way down until I noticed it was an IV in my arm.

"Basically, you are rendered fairly useless. By the time it is empty, you will be dead anyways."

He thumped the syringe in his hand this time and walked toward me. But right before he reached me, he turned slightly, moving further behind me. I craned my head to follow him, to see where he was headed, only to find my worst fears confirmed.

On another table behind me lay a motionless Bella, eyes closed, skin paler than usual.

"No," I whispered. I tugged at my restraints with all the effort I could muster but it was no use, I was too weak. "No!"

"Oh come on," Carlisle said with an excited voice, "Aren't you even the slightest bit curious what will happen when I inject her? I mean, she could become just like you, better even if all played out right." He paused for a moment, seeming to be thinking, then, "If it fails I could very well turn her into a vampire. Would you still love her then? I mean, she would be your mortal enemy."

He prattled on, and I continued to struggle, growing more exhausted with each unsuccessful tug, but I didn't stop, not even when I watched Carlisle plunge the needle into her vein and release the liquid into her system.

JASPOV

THUMP.

I awoke with a start, sitting up just as I saw cage doors closing shut. The big bloodsucker, the one that looked mostly like the brawn and not the brains of the operation just grinned at me as he twisted a wrought iron key in the lock.

"Just in time," he jeered, "Enjoy."

He backed up and then turned walking away from my cell, heading back up a dimly lit stairwell. My thoughts were cloudy, and I looked around my cage, my eyes instantly falling on the crumpled heap in the corner. _Alice._

I scrambled to her quickly, snatching her up into my arms. Her skin was so much paler than usual, so translucent I could make out every vein under her skin. She was cold, as if she had been placed in a freezer for a few hours.

My worst fears had come true as I stared at her, lifeless in my arms, and no pulse. She was dead.

I shook her anyway, hoping that maybe I was wrong, that maybe my senses were fooling me. "Alice," I choked out, "Alice, wake up. Please Alice."

Nothing.

"Alice," I tried again, this time my eyes clouding with tears. I pulled her closer to me, cradling her against me as the tears spilled on my cheeks and I let out a wail. My best friend, my sister, was gone; her life cut short because of something I never thought existed in this world anymore.

I don't know how long I cried for Alice, wishing that it had been me instead of her, but eventually my tears ceased and my anguish numbed and was replaced with rage.

A fury so deep seeded that I felt like a ticking time-bomb. No matter what it took I was going to get out of here, and I was going to kill that son of a bitch and any other leech I encountered. They better run, yes, they better run far, because I was going to hunt them all down and make them pay.

"Jasper?" A voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I looked around. A few cells over I saw Embry, leaning against the bars.

"Alice is dead," I whispered, still rocking Alice in my arms, "She's dead and those fucking vampires are going to pay."

"Sorry man," he said, sounding remorseful but seeming unable to find the right words.

"Where's Quil?"

"Here," Quil's groggy voice chimed in. "Where are we?"

"Looks to me like a dungeon of sorts. So much for being able to trust a bloodsucker," Embry answered. He stood up and paced the cell. "One thing these leeches need to know about us is you never cage a wolf."

"Sorry," I said, feeling guilty. "I really thought we could trust him."

"Don't worry," Quil responded, beginning to sound more alert, "You couldn't have known."

Embry kicked at the cage once, a loud wrenching of metal echoed through the dungeon. "Ouch," he mumbled as he stepped back. "Guess I'm still gathering my strength."

He kicked a few more times at the door until finally it busted open. "There," he said triumphantly as he stepped out of the cage. He walked over to the wall across from the cages where he found a set of keys hanging.

Embry stood in front of Quil's cage, picking through the keys to find the one to open it.

"Why not just bust it open?" Quil said impatiently.

Embry shrugged, "Who knows, we might need these cells once we round up these leeches." He unlocked the cage and then moved over to mine, unlocking it as well.

I laid Alice on the floor carefully before standing, "Thanks man," I said. I didn't know what Embry was thinking, but if these vampires were around, they were all going to die. There would be no locking them in a cage.

The three of us stood there for a moment, just listening.

"I guess the leeches didn't hear us," Quil said quietly. "Hopefully that means we'll have the element of surprise."

"Surprise or not," I said, "the fuckers are going down. They will pay for what they did to Alice, Bella, and Jake."

"You think something happened to them?" Embry said, sounding worried.

I shrugged, "We have to assume the worst. They aren't down here, so who knows where they are. Regardless, they have moved in on our territory. They started this, and we will finish it."

JKPOV

The time seemed to pass so slowly as I laid there and watched and waited for a sign that Bella was okay. Since she had been injected nothing had changed. Her breathing had remained the same, and she had remained asleep.

Doctor Leech had continued working, mixing concoctions in flasks, looking over paperwork, writing down notes. I kept trying to remove the drip from my veins with little luck. I was bolted down, and the stream of drugs continuously entering my system kept me weak.

A little time went by, before I heard footsteps entering the room. I looked over to see the other two vampires come into view.

"Did you drop the girl off?" Carlisle asked.

The big dumb one, whose mate I slaughtered nodded, "Yes. He was devastated, and he will be even more so when he realizes she's been turned. Then, her newborn blood lust should drive to kill all of them down there."

My heart sank as I silently mourned for Jasper and the others. If they were in as weak of state as I was, they didn't stand a chance.

"I've got a few other things that I would like you two to take care of," Carlisle said as he removed a pair gloves and tossed them into a trashcan. He walked over to me and checked my restraints, grinning maliciously, "Can't be too careful." Then, he headed from the room, with dumb and dumber in tow.

As soon as they were out of sight, I began to look for a way to get out of my binding. I wiggled my arm, but it barely moved in the restraints. I used all the strength I could muster, pulling and straining and then collapsed, exhausted after only a few unsuccessful tugs. I couldn't remember ever being this weak. At one time, when I was completely human, I was, but that seemed like so long ago. I had abused my abilities, certainly taken them for granted.

I laid there, still watching Bella, unmoving. Part of me wanted to cry, the fear of knowing that I might die here was starting to seep into my chest. The realization that Bella and I were going to die. We wouldn't live the life together that I wanted. All the things I had planned for us, things I hadn't told her. We had only been together a short time, and it was going to be cut short as well.

I had just about given up when I heard whispering down the hallway. At first I thought it was the leeches again, coming back to continue torture on my Bella. However, I knew it wasn't when I felt rage tingling at my senses. It was then that I knew it was Jasper.

"Jasper," I whispered harshly, "Jasper! In here!"

A moment later Jasper emerged, followed by Embry and Quil.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Jasper said approaching the table. He grabbed the needle in my arm and slid it out. Almost instantly I felt the drugs burning out of my system. He released the shackles on my hands and feet and I jumped from the table, heading straight for Bella.

"Bella," I said untying her from the table. She didn't move, or respond. "Bella, wake up."

"Jake, we've gotta go," Embry urged, "before they come back."

Jasper growled, "I will kill them. There's no way I am leaving without doing that."

I leaned in closer to her, listening to her breathing. Now that my senses were back to normal I could tell that something had changed within her. Her breathing was shallow, her heartbeat faint. She was barely clinging on to life.

"Jake," Jasper said from behind me, "She okay?"

I shook my head, "No. She's not." I took a deep breath before speaking again, "She's dying."


End file.
